Candidate C42
by Khamora Jo
Summary: Captain Steve Rogers is learning to adjust to 21st Century life, throwing himself back into the world to serve. Captain America is given a mission to rescue a hostage from experimentation, but he discovers a secret that has been hidden for 70 years. Can he now help her reclaim her life and keep her safe, not only from her captors but from herself? Can she remember his promise?
1. Chapter 1 - What Once Was Lost

**Hello There, Folks!  
This is my first fan fiction that I have ever published for the wider populace so I have some butterflies!**

**This story is set after the events of the FIRST Avengers, but before Winter Soldier.**  
**I have changed some scenarios that have taken place in the existing movies, most of all the role of Agent Carter. This has been in order to introduce the OC, but I have paid homage to her part in The First Avenger in many ways.**

**Other than that, I have tried to keep it all as accurate as I can.**  
**Hope you all enjoy!**

**Here we go...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 1 - What Once Was Lost.**

_**Classified Location, 2013**_

"Okay guys..." Captain Rogers hesitated a moment as he stood before his strike team, his peripheral vision spying Natasha as she shifted her feet a little and crossed her arms. "And ma'am. This ship has only just come up on SHIELD's radar as it's pretty good at staying off it."

The captain jabbed at a touch screen monitor that was mounted on the fuselage of the high speed aircraft, the light of the various satellite images illuminating the darkness and the faces of the team.

"It's a very large research facility, and its work is so secretive that it never docks. It just stays on the move at all times and somehow bounces radar to remain undetected. They are good. Very good, with professional help to guard it around the clock."

"What kind of research are they conducting, sir?" Asked one of the team members. "Will it affect the mission?"

"We believe that the entirety of the ship is for one purpose, one single dedicated experiment which centres around a particular candidate that is being held against their will to be tested on."

"The hostage is being held for experiments involving gene therapy and radiation." Natasha added, taking pity on Steve's war time education and lack of understanding when it came to complex technology and science. She knew he wouldn't be able to fill in the more scientific blanks as he was still trying acclimatise to 21st century life and technology. "They believe the candidate holds something special locked in their DNA, and they are trying to replicate it for implantation in others. We don't know for what purpose but we are treating it as malicious intent. The man we held for questioning just said that the characteristic they were trying to splice was powerful, super-human even, but he wouldn't tell us what exactly."

"Right, so we treat this as an unknown and use the utmost precautions." Steve finished. "Our mission is to extract the hostage and retrieve and/or destroy all research data. If we can, then we are also to detain the head scientist by the name of Richards. Dr Erwin Richards."

The Captain tapped the screen in the corner and a photograph sprang to the forefront, displaying what seemed to be an ID picture of the head scientist. Steve didn't particularly like the look of the man. He had short dark hair and sharp facial features beneath small simple spectacles which was nothing untoward, but it was the obvious battle scar that ran the length of his left cheek and jaw that set Steve on edge and told him that there could be a hidden vicious counterpart lurking behind the doctor's academic shell.

"Other than that we are to assume that everyone else is a hostile." He continued. "Incapacitate, kill only when necessary. I want this done quickly and quietly. Team Beta and Delta will be concentrating on neutralising the crew and securing the engine room and bridge, as well as disabling the power. We'll be going in via the ships aft. We can't be sure where they will be keeping the hostage or where Richards is, so we split into two teams whilst Beta and Delta secure the ship. We go floor by floor and by the numbers. When they are found, we meet at the rendezvous point for pick up. SHIELD already has ships closing in to take custody of the facility once it's taken. Communications is on channel seven. Any questions?"

"No sir." They answered together, all military hard men. And one casually tough woman.

"Suit up, boys." Said Natasha, moving to the rest of her gear with Steve following.

"Appreciate it." He whispered as he fitted his ear piece then strapped on his helmet.

Natasha Romanov smirked as she finished fitting her own ear piece. She knew he was referring to her stepping in and saving face when it came to the science explanation, "No problem."

"So did Fury actually tell you what we're doing here?" Asked Steve with his usual lack of fear for telling things how they were, including pointing out any lies and deceit.

"I only know the same as you, Rogers." She said, stepping into her parachute and strapping herself into it over the top of her leather combat body suit. "What makes you think he's hiding something?"

"I dunno." He replied, his brow furrowed beneath his mask as he placed his hands on his hips in thought, keeping his voice low to avoid the other men overhearing his doubts. "There just seems to be something missing. A gut feeling, I guess."

"Could just be indigestion." She smirked, trying to lighten the mood as she finished tightening the last strap on the chute's harness.

Steve just smiled, swinging his Vibranium shield onto his back to connect with its magnetic harness, and tried to put his troubled thoughts to the back of his mind. There was a mission to do that potentially involved an innocent life at stake. That took priority right now.

"Two minutes, Cap!" Called one of the pilots from the cockpit.

Steve marched to the back of the aircraft, his path illuminated by the red glow of the ambient lighting, and hit the large button to open the main loading hatch. It unfolded with the loud but slow mechanical hydraulics which were muffled by the instant whoosh and howl of the nights wind and rain as the sturdy tailgate lowered into the loading position and clicked into place.

"Line up, gentleman, we're on!" Called Natasha, taking position at the front as two lines formed behind her to face the open hatch, all dressed in dark tactical gear and weaponry.

Captain Rogers briefly glanced out of the back of the plane, spying through the faint clouds that rushed by to spot the slight shadow and glitter of the target ship.

"You're up, Captain!" Shouted the pilot.

Steve looked back briefly before smirking at Natasha, "See you down there!"

He then casually leapt from the aircraft into the darkness as if he was merely diving onto an air bag a few feet below. However, they were several thousand feet up... And he was not wearing a parachute.

"Hate it when he does that." Natasha mumbled with a sigh before she led the team out after him to glide through the night towards the ship at furious speed.

Captain Rogers spied the various mercenaries on the deck as he controlled his decent with his body positioning before diving rapidly towards the black waves of the ocean, firing a small but powerful grapple to bite inconspicuously into the hull as he neared the water. He quickly attached it to his belt before tucking back out to plunge feet first into the sea for a perfect entry. Fortunately there were perks to being a super soldier, and his enhanced physiology coped well with the impact and sheer cold. Then again, having been frozen in ice for almost seventy years would also grant a certain level of tolerance when it came to freezing temperatures.

Steve began to haul himself in using the grapple, fighting against the rush of the sea as the ship dragged him along. He needed to take out the mercenaries on the deck before the others could land, otherwise the element of surprise would be gone, and the mission would be doomed to fail.

His muscles tensed and flexed, his teeth gritting with the monumental effort to pull himself up the grapple line against the unrelenting waves the ship caused, but fortunately he was out and hopping stealthily over the rail in under a minute.

Keeping his strides long but silent, he unhooked the shield from his back and slipped his left arm through the handles in preparation for battle. He had spotted six to take out on the aft deck, and this was where his team would be landing soon. He had about two, perhaps three, minutes to take them out before their arrival, and he had to do it without raising an alarm. Average evening for him really.

Steve quickly leapt out at the first mercenary that was facing away from him, stealing the knife from his belt before knocking him overboard. As the falling man screamed on his descent, it grabbed the attention of the other five who were all armed. Steve turned and threw the knife with the momentum, sending it soaring into a guards chest to fling him backwards over the rail from the force. Captain Rogers did not wait for them to attack, instead pressing his advantage by speeding up to the closest man, knocking his rifle away and then slamming the shield hard into his face. As the mercenary crumpled to the deck, Steve launched the shield at two men standing together as they took aim, the metal disk cracking ribs as it rammed the first man off his feet. Rogers slid beneath a piece of machinery that was bolted to the deck to swipe the feet of the other guy before he could fire, catching the shield as it rebounded off the ship to smack the floored guard in the face and throw it at the last mercenary. However, Natasha cut loose her chute and dropped hard onto the last merc's back, making him slam face first into the deck where she tasered him for good measure.

As the rest on the team quietly landed on the deck, Steve picked himself up and nodded to Natasha as he joined her to lead the team to find the hostage, picking up one of the mercenary's radios as he passed to gain any intel or forewarning. Steve could already hear the Beta and/or Delta team dealing with the rest of the mercenaries, clearing the deck towards the bow of the ship.

"Davis, you lead the second team down the starboard side. Radio if you find anything." Steve ordered. "The rest of you come with me down the port side. Quietly. I don't want any major fights getting their attention."

"Aye, Cap." Davis confirmed, shouldering his rifle and motioning for five of the team to follow him in the search.

Steve and Natasha led the remaining four men of the strike team into the belly of the port side of the ship, taking it floor by floor and disposing of anyone they came across that could alarm the facility of their presence. Natasha fortunately took out a member of the security that had an electronic map of the ship in his possession, and after a few moments of scrolling through the blueprints they found an area marked as the facility laboratories on the bottom level in both port and starboard beam as they were very extensive. Steve immediately directed Davis' team over the radio to meet them there.

"Top deck and bridge secured, Captain." Said a male voice over the ear piece.

"Good work, keep it that way and get the engine room secured too." Steve replied quietly, maintaining tactical formation with his team as they descended the metal grated stairwells, a few straggling mercs being taken out stealthily with the aid of the silencers on the rifles. "We're heading to the labs on the bottom level. Stand by the security feeds and inform me of anything happening. Keep an eye out for Richards."

"Affirmative."

"Davis, do you copy?" Asked Rogers.

"I hear you, Cap."

"What's your ETA to your position?"

"About two minutes. We stopped for directions when you said the security had maps on them."

"Tell me when you're in position. We clear the labs together."

"Affirmative."

It wasn't long before they found the clinical white hallways leading to the labs, a contrast to the metallic roughness of the rest of the ship. If Steve didn't know better, he would have thought he had just stepped into a hi-tech hospital. Whatever they were doing down here obviously required clinical conditions, and to him that suggested a sort of experimentation that set his teeth on edge with anger.

Finally reaching a metal door marked as '_**Lab A: Priority Access Only.**_', they took formation on either side of the entrance as Natasha got to work on the control panel beside it.

"Davis, your position." Whispered the Captain.

"We're here, Cap. Ready when you are."

"Beta, are you on the bridge?"

"Affirmative." Replied the Beta team leader.

"I need you to be my eyes. How many hostiles inside the main lab?"

"Looks to be two armed pros either side of both the entrances, five scientists working at their stations. There's been no sign of Richards."

"And the hostage?"

"I can't see the hostage directly, Cap, but the 'coats' seem to be working around a shielded capsule in the middle of the lab, and I can't see any other possible candidates on security feeds."

"Engine room is secured." Another male voice interrupted.

"Good, be ready to cut power." Steve replied.

"On it, Cap."

"Davis, did you copy that?" Asked the Captain quietly.

"Affirmative." He answered over the ear piece.

"On my mark, Delta will cut the power. We open the doors and use the flash grenades for the guards. Secure the room quickly, no stragglers. We still haven't seen Richards and he could be in there too. Check everyone."

"On your word, Cap." Natasha said quietly, stepping back from the control panel to press against the wall.

"On my mark... 3... 2...1..." Steve tensed in anticipation, his grip on the shield tightened as he looked to his other team mate on the other side of the door who was at the ready with the flash grenade, poised to pull the pin. "Mark."

Natasha hit the button and the metal door slid open. Steve heard the guards respond to the motion but the flash grenade had already been rolled in the moment a gap had emerged. Steve momentarily shielded his eyes against the blast of blinding light, the harsh explosion reverberating through the space, not only on his side but also across the other side of the lab from Davis' team.

The guards yelled with the assault, briefly distracted before Steve rushed in and hammered them both quickly to the floor as his team surged into the lab with authority and commands for the bemused and reeling scientists.

"On the floor now!" Yelled his team, their weapons threatening with martial force if the hostiles didn't comply. "Hands up, Hands up!"

The Captain marched into the space, the smoke from the grenade dissipating as the emergency lighting glowed around the stations and equipment. Davis' team was securing the other half of the room as Natasha immediately got to work on retrieving any data from the computers. The power for the lights immediately sparked to life again.

Captain Rogers quickly scanned the confused faces of the scientists on his side of the room. Richards was not amongst them, and Davis confirmed that he wasn't with his group of hostiles either as he led them over to kneel together in one confined and guarded group before they began to cable tie their hands behind their back for security.

"Steve." Natasha called, beckoning him over to a computer to stand next to her. "Looks like the candidate is a woman, but she's just referred to as C42. She's currently sedated in that chamber there."

Steve looked at the capsule that was slanted backwards and dominated the lab, unable to not notice the resemblance to the machine he was placed in when he was made into a super soldier all those years ago. However, this looked far more hi-tech.

"I'm not exactly Bruce, but I think they were measuring her immune response after the latest test." Natasha added, continuing to talk as she typed whilst Steve wandered around the capsule with an odd intrigue. The capsule was mounted on a central grated dais that had a rail surrounding it, only one set of steps leading up to the test subject that was encased in a steel cocoon. Thick tubes and cables were being fed from it, snaking down to beneath the dais and into various machinery which seemed to then send feedback and results to the vast array of computers in the labs.

"Is it safe to remove her?" He asked.

"Working on it. The system controls are still rebooting after the power cut."

"Beta, is there any sign of Richards on the security cams?" Asked Steve over the ear piece channel.

"None, Sir. If he is here, then he's good at hiding."

"Keep your eyes open, and confirm with SHIELD that they are clear to come in for a sweep of the ship. Also let them know we'll be retrieving the hostage and bringing her up soon, and to have a med team on standby for her arrival."

"Affirmative."

Steve looked back at the chamber, wondering who could be inside and for what purpose. He didn't know much about new technology. For all he knew this could be a modern and humane form of recovery, but as he stood in front of the capsule at the bottom of the dais steps, there was something about it that made the hackles on his neck stand on end. It looked sterile and without feeling, as if these scientists did not treat her as a human being but rather as a piece of meat; A novelty to be exploited for their gain, or something that could not possibly express emotion or feel the pains of their tests, confirmed by designating her with a coded number rather than a name. It made his stomach contort with rage, but he kept it together for the sake of the mission.

"Okay, I think I got it..." Said Natasha, as she finished pressing buttons on the computer keyboard and a small warning beep began to sound from the chamber, announcing it's imminent unlocking.

"Good." Said Steve, quickly trying to occupy his thoughts to be more professional. Looking away to see the various team members that were guarding the hostiles on the floor, he saw the fear and uncertainty in the scientist's eyes. However, what made him curious was that it was directed at the opening of the capsule. They were frightened of the woman inside being released. And rightly so in his opinion. He could only imagine the horrors they might have performed on her in the name of science, so it was only logical to think she may harbour some hatred for them. "Delta and Beta, I want you to leave a skeleton team in the engine room and on the Bridge, and begin to sweep the ship up to the deck to meet with the incoming ops."

The two teams confirmed the order over the secure channel in a disciplined fashion.

"Davis?!" Called Steve.

"Sir?"

"Take your team to escort the hostiles up to the deck for retrieval by SHIELD."

"You got it, Cap." Answered Davis. "Okay, you heard him, on your feet!"

The team marched them out of the lab in an organised single file, always with the command of their rifles aimed at them for emphasis and persuasion.

The capsule hissed for a moment before the locks disengaged and the steel cocoon began to swivel out of the way, grabbing Steve's attention as Natasha joined him at the base of the grated steps.

However, as the metal shifted back to reveal a glass tube beneath, the Captain felt his heart clench and seemingly slam to a complete halt when he saw who lay inside. His jaw went slack, his blue eyes wide and on the verge of misting as he took one tentative step forward with disbelief.

"You okay?" Asked Natasha, seeing his shocked reaction. "Rogers?"

Steve stood frozen, unmoving and aghast at the impossible sight which lay strapped inside the capsule, sedated and silent. His lungs and chest felt like they were being squeezed without mercy, his legs weakening, his hands beginning to tremble until his shield fell from his numb fingers, clattering with a metallic ringing against the floor.

The woman inside the glass chamber had died in 1943. Yet... he could see her breathing.

* * *

_**New York, 1943**_

The familiar sting of a punch in the face was still present as Steve walked into his old familiar bar, nodding to the barman to make his way to the back table where his best friend was waiting for him with a scotch.

"Sorry I'm late." Said Steve as he sat down.

"You know," Bucky began as he assessed his friend's appearance and scooped out an ice cube from his drink. "I'm beginning to think you like getting punched."

"I had him on the ropes."

"Sure you did. Put this on your lip, slugger." Bucky replied, tossing him the chunk of ice.

"Thanks."

"So, where you from this time?" Asked Bucky, taking a sip of his bourbon and nodding at the obvious enlistment card that was poking out of Steve's beige jacket pocket. He just tucked it away out of sight and took a drink of his scotch. "You know it's illegal to lie on your enlistment form."

"So when you getting your orders?" Steve ignored, purposely changing the subject as he took a napkin from the table and wiped away any blood that was left on his face.

"Will probably be in a few days."

"I should be going."

"What's the problem, ace? In a few days you're gonna' be the only eligible bachelor left. You know there's two and a half million women in New York."

"Yeah, well, I'd settle for just one." Said Steve, taking another sip of his scotch and wincing as the alcohol caught his split lip.

"Good thing I've got that sorted then." Smiled Bucky, lifting up his bourbon.

"Right. What did you tell her about me this time?"

"Just the good stuff. Tomorrow, double date. It'll be fun."

"Yeah sure it will. I seem to remember the last one."

"Well maybe you'll have better luck this..." Began Bucky, though his attention was suddenly caught elsewhere, somewhere behind his friend and further out into the bar. "Holy cow, would you get a look at her."

Steve turned in his chair with a sigh, prepared to see yet another girl that Bucky could win over with a click of his fingers. However, what he saw made him choke a little on his scotch and his gaze bulge in awe. There, standing at the bar on her own, was the single most beautiful woman he had ever seen outside of a movie or billboard commercial. Her rich auburn hair was long, unusually so for the current short style fashion, waving down passed her shoulder blades to the middle of her back. She wore a figure forming burgundy dress which stopped just below her knees to show off her smooth calves and stylish cream heels, but overall the dress hugged to every sensual hourglass curve. She turned to look fully towards his end of the bar, revealing the full red lips and effortless beauty of her face. To Steve, in a word, she was literally stunning.

"Now that is a dame." Said Bucky.

Steve couldn't help but stare as she sat down on one of the bar stools and elegantly crossed her legs as the friendly barman passed her a glass of wine. When she smiled her thanks, Steve thought he felt his back muscles tense.

For a short while, the sat in silence, watching as time after time soldiers would go up to her, lean on the bar with a smug grin and try to woo her. And every time she would smile and politely decline, not realising that they all belonged to the same group of friends and it was becoming a game for them to see who could bag the hot girl.

Steve grit his teeth with annoyance. He couldn't stand jerks like that, treating a lady with so much disrespect like she was a prize.

He could see her nervous irritation forming as she tried to remain civil, her fingers flexing on her glass of wine as she stopped even looking at them when they approached her. The group was laughing in the corner, encouraging the latest would-be conqueror as he sauntered up to the bar and leant next to her. It was the moment that he reached out and moved her hair from her shoulder, forcing her to slap his hand away, that Steve jumped up from his seat and marched towards them.

"I said I'm not interested, now will you please just leave me alone!" Exclaimed the woman in a courteous English accent.

"Come on, princess, we just want to have a chat with you and maybe buy you a drink or two. Where's the harm in that?" Pressed the soldier, smugly trying to play with her hair again.

"Don't touch me."

"Don't be like that..." He crooned, brushing a finger over her shoulder.

She immediately pulled away, sliding off the other side of the bar stool to stand and defiantly threw her wine into his face, "Think of that as my final no."

"Why you little bi..."

"Hey!" Yelled Steve, getting in between them. "The lady said she's not interested. Now why don't you and your buddies just call it quits and leave."

"Who the hell do you think you are, you little pipsqueak? This ain't your business!"

"It became my business when you tried to assault a lady in front of me. Don't make this worse than it is. Just go."

The soldier laughed, turning to his buddies for encouragement who then joined in with the chuckles. The trooper was about to launch a punch towards him when something happened that made Steve blink for a double take, unsure of what he just saw: The barstool in front of him had skidded a little across the wooden floor to hit the soldier in the crotch, making him double over on the seat for a moment. Did he really just see that? No, it must have just been a trick of the eye. The idiot probably just walked into it.

The angry soldier knocked the stool out of the way, making it clatter onto the floor as he stepped forward for the assault again. It was then that a solid baseball bat slammed into the hard top of the bar, clattering the glasses that stood on it.

"You!" Yelled the barman, a stocky man to say the least, pointing the bat at the loud mouthed trooper. "Out of here now. And take your friends with you. I've already called the MPs."

"You're lucky, punk." He shot at Steve, wiping wine from his nose as he backed up cockily towards the door. "Let's go guys, we can find some better tail elsewhere!"

They continued their hooting and hollering as they walked out of the door.

"You okay, miss?" Asked the barman as he put the bat under the bar.

"Yes. Thank you." She replied with an uncertain smile.

Steve could see that she was a little bit shaken, her hand on the bar was shivering slightly.

"Frank, would you mind pouring the lady another glass, please?" He said, unravelling a note from his pocket and tossing it onto the wooden surface.

"Oh you don't have to..."

"I insist." Steve smiled, picking up the toppled bar stool. "A soldier's face is a terrible waste of wine."

She smiled genuinely, and his heart almost quivered to a stop. He didn't get much opportunity to speak to gorgeous women, they always seemed repelled or more interested in his eligible friend, Bucky. So far though, he thought it was going well. He just needed to not make a fool of himself.

"Thank you." She said. "That was very brave of you considering he was much...erm..."

"Bigger than me? Yeah I get that a lot."

The red haired beauty looked curiously at her unlikely hero. He was small and slender, a couple of inches shorter than her due to her heels so she assumed that without them they would be level at five foot and four inches. He had a sweet face with wonderful blue eyes and sandy blonde hair that was cut in the popular side parted style. Even though he had a split lip, he seemed quite gentlemanly to her.

"I'm Cora." She said, offering her hand politely. "Cora Elizabeth Pritcher."

"Steve Rogers." He offered in return, gently shaking her soft hand and silently revelling in her smooth accented voice. "Pleasure to meet you."

The barman slid her a new glass of wine with a smile.

"Thank you."

"Erm... Would you like to sit down?" Steve asked. "It tends to be quieter towards the back of the bar."

Cora's eyebrow lifted with amusement, unsure if she had just heard that correctly.

Steve immediately realised what his proposition might suggest, "No, I mean... You're just less likely to be bothered at the back. If you wanted to sit down for a quiet drink with me. Well, not even with _me_, if you just wanted to be on your own then..."

"You don't speak to women much, do you?" Cora interrupted with a quiet giggle.

"What gave me away?" He smirked, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"The fact that you're steadily turning red."

He chuckled, looking down at his shoes with embarrassment, "Actually I think this is the longest conversation I've had with a woman."

"Well then," She smiled, picking up her coat from the stool next to her to drape it over her arm, taking her drink and purse from the bar. "Let's not break the lucky streak just yet."

Steve watched in shock as she turned around and walked to the back where it was quieter. It took him a moment, and some avid silent encouragement from Bucky at his table, to follow her over. Bucky stealthily passed his scotch to him as he walked passed by towards the small table for two in a solitary corner.

"Is here a good spot?" She asked.

"Absolutely. Here, allow me." Steve quickly walked ahead, placed his drink on the table and then pulled out a chair for her. She smirked sweetly, gratefully accepting before he sat down opposite, noticing the scent of her luscious fresh perfume.

Steve had thought she was beautiful before from a distance, but now that he was merely two feet in front of her, he could feel his hands sweating. She was astounding.

"So, Steve." She began, taking a sip of her drink. "What do you do with yourself when you're not rescuing ladies?"

He smiled, trying to control the flush of his cheeks and withholding the fact that if the barman hadn't intervened he would probably be a bloody mess on the floor by now.

"Actually, and I hope you won't hold this against me, I'm intending to enlist."

"Oh." Said Cora. "I wouldn't have guessed you wanted to be in the army."

"Well I figure that men are joining and laying down their lives every day for their country. I don't see why I shouldn't serve as well."

"Because they _are_ dying every day."

"For freedom." He said, his gentle passion and conviction showing through to draw her in. "So that we can walk down the street, and go on dates, and go to sleep in our own beds and wake up again knowing that no-one can tell us how we should live our lives. If it has to be that way, then I don't see any nobler way to die than for your home and loved ones to live without fear."

There was a moment of silence where she just looked at him with a slight smile on her full lips, and he wondered if perhaps he had come across too strongly.

"You know, you're the first person I have spoken to about the war effort whose words I actually believe. Most of the time men will lie about how they fight for freedom and the American way, but that's all just for show to win over the more naive girls. Mainly, men will become soldiers for the women they'll attract. Or for the money, or so they can satisfy their own barbaric natures to kill and blow things up. You are the only one I have met since I came here who I believe wants to fight for the right reason. Colour me impressed."

"Thank you." He said, taking a sip of his scotch and refusing to mention how many times he had already been exempt from service due to poor health.

"You're welcome. I hope you get accepted soon. I think the army would be greater for having you a part of it."

Steve grinned and flushed, forcing him to look away for a moment, "So, judging by your accent, I'm gonna' go out on a limb and say you're originally from England."

"Spot on." Cora replied. "I moved here last year to study."

"Study?" He perked up as she was steadily getting more interesting. "New York University?"

"Yes. In Art."

"That's great. I don't know many beautiful dames who would choose higher education."

Her eyebrow quirked again with amusement, and it was the instant indication that Steve may have just insulted her.

"I mean... a woman... not a beautiful dame..." He flustered, trying his best to back track. "Though you are very beautiful, of course, I..."

Cora chuckled, "Breathe, Steve. I wasn't offended, I'm just playing with you. I'm sorry, that was mean."

"No problem." He said with relief. "I'm just glad I didn't insult you. I just meant that most women seem to not want to study. They either want to be a housewife or in show business or work as part of the war effort."

"True. I will admit that I am the only woman in my class. It can be a little daunting sometimes."

"I'm not surprised with the amount of attention you attract."

Cora smiled, a slight blush tinting her soft cheeks as she took another sip of wine. Steve was pleased with her reaction to his spontaneous compliment.

"If I wasn't set on the army, I would have taken up art myself." He added, enjoying this new dynamic of her persona. She certainly wasn't just a kind pretty face. She was educated too.

"Really? Or are you just trying to beguile me with familiarity?" She taunted with a mischievous smirk. Fortunately, Steve saw her game this time.

"Yes ma'am." He replied playfully. "Beguiling attractive women is my speciality."

Cora chuckled, happy in the knowledge that he was playing back and responding to her humour. There weren't many men around that enjoyed her intelligent playfulness, preferring just a silent decoration on their arm. Well, in her recent experiences anyway.

"Ok, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt to prove it."

Steve dug into the inside pocket of his jacket and removed a leather bound book. Opening it up in the middle, he passed it over to her, "They're just small doodles really, but I enjoy doing them from time to time. I don't seem to get around to doing bigger pieces."

Cora looked at the lined pages of the notebook, grinning whilst she took in every talented detail of the small drawings that decorated the papers as she slowly flicked through. Everything from frogs to elegant eyes to stylish pin up girls.

"These are wonderful." She said in awe. "You should have taken your skills further, you certainly have a gift for it."

"Maybe when the war is over, I will."

"And if you do, I will be the first to buy your work."

"If I do, you'd be the first I'd want to draw." He said before he could stop himself.

Fortunately, she was smiling at him with that sweet blush on her cheekbones again, "I would consider it an honour."

"Cora!"

They both looked towards the bar to see a brunette woman in a wide brimmed hat waving at them. Cora waved back and held up a gentle finger to ask for a moment.

"My friend is here." She said, a little sad at having to leave. She was enjoying the conversation with this intriguing stranger. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to go."

"Of course." Steve replied, a little disappointed but trying to hide it as he stood up politely before she did and watched her put on her tan wool coat.

"I really enjoyed talking to you, Steve." She smiled, doing up her coat buttons before picking up her leather purse.

"Me too. With you, I mean."

Cora giggled at his nervous nature. She was getting very fond of it.

Picking up his notebook from the table, and looking at it with endearment for a moment, she politely passed it back to him, "Don't let your talent go to waste."

"I won't. It's the only one I have." He joked.

"Oh I doubt that." She smirked, and for the first time their eyes perfectly locked together.

Steve struggled to keep himself steady and cool as he noted every sumptuous colour of her eyes: a soft green hazel with a warm amber burst around the pupil and a striking ring of slate around it all. They were nothing if not hypnotic.

"Well, thank you for being such a gentleman." She said, forcefully cutting off their gaze to glance down before she could flush bright red.

"You're welcome."

"Good night." She smiled, lingering for a moment before walking passed him and heading towards her waiting friend.

Steve watched her go with both joy and disappointment fighting for supremacy. He had just met a remarkable, intelligent, beautiful woman who didn't treat him like a whelp, and now she was walking away from him, probably never to look back or even know him if he happened to pass her in the street.

A small spark of courage began to rise inside of him, and he was about to spur himself after her to ask for a date, when she suddenly slowed down and stopped halfway to the bar.

Cora stood for a moment, biting her plump red lip with thought. She had only met him a little while ago, barely anything to base a friendship on. However, he had a sense of respect and civility about him. There was kindness and compassion, a strong conviction and bravery for doing what was right. And he made her laugh and feel at ease without even having to try. Cora finally decided to take a chance.

She turned around and walked back to a surprised Steve, who stood with his hands in his pockets.

"I was wondering..." She began as she stopped to stand in front of him again. "Would you happen to be here tomorrow night? Perhaps... around seven?"

Steve couldn't move, couldn't talk and was fighting the need to reach for his inhaler. Did she really just ask _him_ for a date? Or was he just assuming? After all she could just like talking with him. Either way, he'd take it.

"Sure." He said finally with a smirk, not trusting himself to say any more than that.

"Great." She beamed. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yes, ma'am."

Cora chuckled lightly, liking how he often gave that polite response. It sounded so cute from him. Jumping in for another risk on a spur of the moment, she placed a gentle hand on his shoulder and leaned in to place a soft kiss on his cheek. He had risked much and asked for nothing in return that evening. The least she could do was thank him with a peck on the cheek.

"Good night." She said again as she stood up, amusingly seeing how stiff and dumb struck he seemed.

Steve cleared his throat slightly, looking down at his shoes to try and think of cold thoughts, "Good night, Miss Pritcher."

"Cora." She corrected, handing him a clean handkerchief that she collected from her coat pocket. "Here. I've left a mark."

Steve's hand immediately reached to his cheek and when he looked at his fingers he did indeed have the remnants of her red lipstick staining them. He smiled and gratefully accepted the embroidered offering. Giving his face a quick wipe to his silent dismay of having to get rid of it so quickly, he offered her the tinted cotton.

"Keep it." She smirked shyly. "Will remind you not to be late tomorrow."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Seven." She confirmed, starting to turn away.

"I'll be here."

Steve watched once again as she walked over to her friend. Before she left, she threw him another smile that made his feet feel light. He looked down at the soft handkerchief in his hands, bundling it up neatly to fold around the delicate embroidery of her personal initials.

"Pal, we gotta' talk." Bucky suddenly said, dragging his best friend back to their table in a hurry. "How did you do that?"

"No idea." He answered with a fond grin as he leant back in his chair, "But you're gonna' have to cancel that blind date tomorrow."


	2. Chapter 2 - Souvenir

**Hello There Folks!**

**Well the first chapter seems to have been received quite well! Yay!**  
**So, here is the next installment.**  
**I'm really enjoying the 1940's Steve, and exploring this version of his past. I hope you are too!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 2 - Souvenir.**

Steve sat at a table in the back of the bar, his shoe tapping on the wooden floor as well as his finger on the barely touched glass of scotch in front of him. His sights were mainly on the door on the other side, but he tried his best to break up his watchful gaze and try to play it cool.

He checked his watch again: 6:55. He had been waiting for twenty five minutes already, just to make sure he wouldn't be late. He smoothed his freshly washed hair again for seemingly the hundredth time, checked his blue tie was straight and there were no marks on his beige shirt. Last but not least, he breathed into his cupped hand and sniffed, just to check for any potential embarrassment. Fortunately, he was all clear. At that present time, he was as good as he was going to get. Steve just hoped it was enough so she wouldn't have second thoughts.

It was then that the familiar click of the door caught his attention and he smiled in anticipation of seeing Cora, but sighed as Bucky walked in instead with his date and started towards him. Bucky was dressed sharply as always.

"Hey pal." Bucky grinned, shaking Steve's hand. "How's it going?"

"Fine." He replied, standing to greet him but still glancing at the door. "I didn't know you were coming here too."

"Oh no, I just wanted to drop by and wish you luck."

"Thanks."

"Oh where are my manners?!" He sparked up, stepping aside to put a squeezing arm around Steve's shoulders. "Let me introduce you to Samantha. Babe, this is my partner in crme, Steve."

A young woman with short blonde hair curled into a pristine style stepped forward with a smile and offered her hand politely, though he could see the uncertain look in her eyes. Obviously she was just doing it for the sake of Bucky, but he had gotten used to that.

"Nice to meet you, ma'am." Smirked Steve, gently shaking her hand for a brief moment.

"Pleasure." She replied simply.

"We're off to Coney Island for a night she won't forget." Grinned Bucky, finally letting go of his shoulders and suavely putting his hands in his pockets to throw a charming glance at his date. Of course, she blushed and giggled as all of his dates did when he did that.

The door clicked again, grabbing Steve's attention and rewarding his patience. Cora walked in and immediately spotted him at the back. She smiled and waved as she made her way across the bar.

"That's your date?" Asked Samantha, making no attempt to hide her confusion and surprise.

Of course, he really couldn't blame her when seeing such an angel gliding across the room towards the world's most unlikely recipient of her attention. Steve was still unsure of how he had managed it himself.

"Hello again." Said Cora as she reached the little congregated group, her smooth and wonderfully enunciated accent filling the air.

"Hi." Replied Steve, slightly aghast at the thought that she was here again and looked happy to be. "You look great."

"Thank you. I like your tie." She smiled, brushing her finger quickly over it on his chest. "Brings out your eyes."

"Thanks." He replied, a little embarrassed and startled at her compliment. "Oh... Erm... I'd like you both to meet Cora. Cora, this is my best friend and burden, Bucky Barnes."

"Pleasure to meet you." She said, extending her hand for a shake which he accepted without hesitation with that gleaming smile of his.

"And this is his date, Samantha."

"Hello." Cora smiled at her, though Steve could see Bucky's date looking slightly sour or intimidated when she responded with the same.

"So," Chirped Bucky, that familiar look of mischief in his eyes that made Steve's stomach tighten with dread. "What are you two crazy kids up to for the evening?"

"I'm not entirely sure." Cora answered, looking to Steve for an idea.

"To be honest, I was kind of just winging it as I go along." Steve admitted, not wanting to make any assumptions of what Cora wanted of the evening. He still wasn't sure if this was an actual date or just a get together between two friends.

Suddenly, Bucky clapped his hands together with an enthusiastic idea, "Well you should come with us then! I'm taking Samantha to Coney Island. We could double date, it'll be fun."

Steve tried to hide his panic, "Oh Bucky, I don't know if..."

"I'm up for that." Cora chirped, grinning at Steve's nervous face though she didn't quite understand it. "But only if I'm allowed to buy the ice cream for us all."

"Ma'am, you have yourself a deal." Bucky smiled, shaking her hand to seal the pact before walking to an unsure looking Samantha and draping his arm over her shoulders. Fortunately, that seemed to perk her up again. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?!"

* * *

"There, Bucky!" Exclaimed Samantha as she tugged on his hand. "Try and win me something!"

To Steve's surprise, the evening had gone better than he had expected when his pal had suggested the double date. Better still, he had thrilled when Cora hadn't objected to their time together being called such.

They had ridden the Wonder Wheel and eaten ice cream, Steve noting that her favourite was strawberry. They had also taken some pictures in the photo booth with everyone squeezing in for lots of laughter and fun, and with both Steve and Cora blushing as the ladies had to sit on their respective date's laps to fit into the cramped booth. Before they left though, Cora had requested some of just the two of them as a souvenir of the evening. Of course, he nervously obliged and tried to not sweat from his nerves, but luckily the photos had come out great.

They had then ridden on the Cyclone roller coaster that had made her hold on to Steve's arm from happy fright. After that, it seemed to be a natural thing for her to do when walking next to him: He would put his hands in his pockets, and Cora would gently hold onto the crook of his elbow. He didn't even mind that her heels made her a couple of inches taller than him and that some loud mouthed soldiers had spotted so. She had apologised then for her imagined thoughtlessness, and promised to wear flats next time. Steve couldn't help the grin that had spread over his face at hearing the possibility of a next time, and insisted that he didn't mind at all. He was just privately reeling with happiness that she was even there with him, smiling and laughing and actually listening with interest to their conversations. It was so refreshing to talk to a beautiful dame without worrying about being judged by his appearance.

Admittedly at the beginning of the night, he wasn't sure if this evening was a date or a friendly get-together, but as the night had progressed they had shared small bashful glances that seemed to him to hold affection. And then there was the small things like the photos and the holding his arm as if she was proud to be seen with him. The night was certainly getting his hopes up.

Now, they followed casually after the giggling couple of Bucky and Samantha as they rushed over to a baseball throwing game with three heavy looking cans stacked at the back of the lit up yellow kiosk just waiting to be demolished.

Steve and Cora stopped just off to the side of Bucky and watched with encouragement as he wound up his throwing arm and launched a baseball at the stack of cans. He missed by a hairs breadth but smashed through them on the second pitch, to the thrill of Samantha who immediately threw her arms around his neck in celebration to be twirled around. She was presented with a fluffy bear as a prize.

"Well, Steve?" Asked Samantha, with a slight air of devious snobbery that Cora instantly recognized. "Are you going to win Cora a prize?"

"Nah, sweetheart, we gotta' go line up for the Steeplechase before it gets too busy." Said Bucky, trying his best to steer her away to save his pal the humiliation. He knew that baseball wasn't Steve's best skill.

"No no, it can wait!" Samantha insisted. "I'm sure Cora would love to be won a souvenir! Just like you did for me."

Cora quietly seethed but managed to keep a pleasant expression on her features. She knew that Samantha was just trying to show off the idea that she had the better date by cruelly putting Steve on the spot to embarrass him. Just by Steve's uncertain face, she could tell he was beginning to feel the pressure a little bit. He obviously liked the idea of winning her something, but feared making a fool of himself.

Cora smirked with a plan that would put Samantha's competitive smugness to bed.

"How about it, Steve?" Asked Cora, squeezing his arm slightly for encouragement.

"Er... I'm not much of a pitcher to be honest."

Cora carefully moved to whisper in his ear, "How do you know what you can and cannot do until you try?"

She stood up straight again with a wonderful smile that was filled with faith in him, and even though he knew he was more than likely going to fail pathetically, he felt determined to at least try for her.

"Alright. Let's give it a go." He said confidently, stepping up to the bench and handing over a dollar to the game owner.

He was handed three dirty white baseballs, and Cora watched as he rolled the first one around in his hand. Bucky came up to stand next to him so Cora instinctively took a step back, knowing that he was giving his friend some brotherly instruction.

"You okay, pal?" Bucky asked.

"I will be if I don't screw this up."

"Just throw like I taught you when we were kids. Use your whole body."

"Whole body, right."

"And just remember... I don't think it will matter to her if you don't win. So try not to sweat it."

"Thanks, Bucky." Steve smiled before Bucky slapped him on the shoulder and took a step back.

"Give it to 'em, slugger!"

Steve took a deep breath and positioned the ball in his hand the way he remembered from his childhood. Then, with a step back to wind up, Steve launched the ball with a grunt towards the cans. It missed by a long shot, and the power in his throw was only a portion of what Bucky had managed to do it.

Cora immediately shot a warning glare towards the giggling Samantha, who ceased the moment she saw her expression. Steve picked up the next ball and rolled it in his hand again, though obviously deflated from his first attempt and Samantha's childish taunts.

"Come on, Steve. Send it home, baby!" Yelled Bucky, refusing to give up on his best friend.

Cora watched carefully, focusing intently on the ball in Steve's hand as he wound up again and threw. Steve blinked as it came significantly closer to the target, and even the power of the pitch had increased, though he had no idea how.

"Alright, pal. You got this now, you got this!"

Cora stepped up and placed a hand on Steve's shoulder, making him look at her glowing face as she smiled at him, "You can do this. Just give it everything you got. Focus."

She stepped back again and Steve coursed with new determination. He wanted to prove himself now. Prove that he wasn't such a weakling after all, his second throw showing him that he had more power than he realised. So, he took a step back for the last time, positioning the ball correctly in his hand and wound back his arm to fire it with a grunt of certainty that it would hit its target.

Cora watched with bated breath and utter focus on the ball as it soared across the kiosk with great power and smashed through the tower of cans with a victorious clatter.

"Yes!" Yelled Bucky, running forward to bear hug his stunned friend.

Cora grinned from ear to ear, satisfied in the dumb expression on Samantha's face as she realised Steve's final pitch had been more powerful than even Bucky's. Cora walked forward to congratulate him, wrapping her arms around his neck and having to bend a little due to her heels. Steve froze for a moment, unable to believe that he was being embraced by her so genuinely. He timidly placed his hands on her back to hold her and felt that she was indeed real.

"Well done." She beamed, pulling away to look at him.

"Thanks."

"Here you go, son. Nice pitch." Said the game owner as he handed him a brown bear with a red ribbon around it's neck.

"Thank you, Sir." Steve replied before turning his attention back to Cora and offering her the prize. "Ma'am?"

Cora smiled and gratefully accepted the toy, "Thank you."

"My pleasure."

"So are we going to the Steeplechase or what?" Samantha blurted, obviously a little sore that her plan hadn't worked out the way she had wanted.

"Yes we are." Replied Bucky, still with a grin as he draped his arm over her shoulders and started walking.

Steve stuffed his hands into his pockets and offered out his elbow to Cora, who took hold without hesitation to follow the other pair.

The sky was black now that the hour was getting later, but the lights of the rides and attractions lit everything up with exciting colour. People were all around them as they walked in comfortable silence, though the crowd was bustling with joyful noise and the rides played happy chiming music. There were so many scents on the air: hot dogs, candy floss, the sea... But Steve always came back to the fresh aura of Cora's perfume.

"You're very quiet." She said to him as they walked, her bear tucked up in her arm as she held her purse.

"Sorry." He replied, trying to chirp up again. "Just thinking."

"What about?"

He sighed a little, rubbing the back of his neck as he thought whether he should be honest or not. Finally he decided to be truthful with her, "Mainly... Why you're here."

"What do you mean?" She pressed, her brow creasing with concern as she focused on his sweet face that just looked ahead as he spoke. Even though the conversation was turning a little more serious it seemed, she still anticipated his smooth voice with satisfaction. She liked his voice. It was strong yet gentle.

"Well... You're a pretty amazing dame. And you could be on the arm of any guy you wanted tonight. Yet... you chose the scrawny one."

Cora stopped at that sentence, gently pulling him to stand with her, "Please don't talk about yourself like that, Steve."

"Sorry." He replied, though he didn't seem so to her. "I was just trying to be honest."

"Then you need to open your eyes a little wider." She softly scorned, pausing for a moment before setting a firm but kindly resolve to speak again. "Look around and tell me what you see."

Steve did as she asked with a curious smirk and furrowed brow, "Rides? Couples enjoying themselves...?"

"Look closer at the men, at how they're behaving."

He watched carefully, passing his analysing gaze from one couple to the next. Some guys were soldiers, and some were not. There were a few that were perfectly cordial, but most of them seemed to behave in very similar ways to each other: They were loud, almost brutish. Some would be looking over women, sometimes not even their own dates. Some would be touching a ladies leg or elsewhere inappropriately. And some just seemed to be ignoring the girl they were with entirely, instead fixated on their boisterous chatter with their friends.

Steve was a little shocked that he hadn't really noticed before Cora had urged him to look. Sure he saw the occasional exception, it was how he met Cora in the first place, but he never witnessed just how many men seemed to think that was a normal and perfectly acceptable way to be around women.

"I'm not interested in being treated like a piece of steak." She said gently with a slight smile, watching him as he continued to watch some soldier's shameful behaviour. "Nor am I interested in being the decoration on someone's arm and being valued only for my face."

She carefully reached out to hold his chin and direct his gaze to her. She wanted him to understand everything she was about to explain to him. She wanted it to be branded in his mind and in his heart for years to come because it was the truth.

"Appearances are changeable, Steve, they're not important. What matters is in here." She softly tapped his head, followed by his chest. "And here. Yesterday evening proved to me that there was something wonderfully different about you, and I was willing to take a chance to see if my instinct was correct."

"And was it?"

"Absolutely." She smiled. "Since I moved here I have met a few people that could be lovely but ended up being like most other men of our time. And I don't mean that as an insult, of course."

"No offence taken." He reassured her. "I know exactly the sort of guys you're talking about."

"It is a shame but... Pardon my French, but if you're a bastard you'll always be a bastard. That's something a person cannot change."

Steve couldn't help but chuckle quietly at her English accented swearing.

"But a good man, what shows through from in here," She started with a gentle smile and an endearing gaze as her palm flattened over his thumping heart, "Will always be good because he places value in integrity and respect. And most of all, he knows compassion as well as courage. The problem is that such a gentleman is hard to find."

"I'm not surprised. That's a tall order." He joked lightly whilst trying to keep his heart steady beneath her hand.

"Well then, I guess I was lucky to be rescued by one last night."

Steve beamed, thrilled at her little confession of how she saw him, and that she may actually like him romantically. Him! The scrawny sickly guy from Brooklyn that hadn't even kissed a girl properly. This night was steadily getting better and better.

"I...er... I don't know if I am a good man or not." He said, clearing his throat slightly and trying to control his words to play it cool. "I just try to do what's right."

Cora just smiled in response and tapped a gentle finger over his heart, silently repeating her previous statement about a good man. Steve knew what she meant immediately, and felt proud and even honoured in a way.

"Thank you." He said, smirking bashfully.

"Just trying to be honest." She replied, purposely repeating his earlier statement which made them both chuckle.

"Hey! You coming or what?" Called Bucky from afar.

Cora winked at Steve, taking the crook of his elbow again as they started to walk a little quicker to catch up, both excited in the knowledge that this _was_ their first date after all.


	3. Chapter 3 - The Torn Note

**Hi Folks!**

**I'm back with a new installment of Steve's and Cora's war time romance. It's a bit longer than the previous chapters, but hopefully that isn't a hardship!**  
**I've had some lovely reviews, so thank you so much, it really does mean a lot to have your support. And my story favourites and follows are increasing every day which is always encouraging. Spurs me on to get the next chapter written, you see. So, if you like what you're reading, please do favourite or follow the story, and even share it around like-minded friends to enjoy!**

**Anyway, here it is. I hope you like it!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 3 - The Torn Note.**

"Excuse me." Asked Steve, standing in front of the University front desk slightly nervously.

There was no answer from the older lady behind the dark wooden desk as she flicked through papers, seemingly in deep concentration or entirely oblivious to Steve's presence. That made it a little difficult for him, not knowing if he should speak up again in case she genuinely didn't hear him. However, if she did hear him and couldn't answer just yet due to something important in her work that required no interruption, that he would come across as being very rude and impatient if he spoke up again. So, he decided to give it a moment, just to be on the safe side.

Steve rocked slightly on his feet, looking down at the floor as he waited. Then he perused the grand foyer from his position at the front desk. The space was definitely impressive and sang with upper class wealth. It was mainly dark wood which gave the large space a dim light and an air of sophistication in a way, especially when coupled with the wide central staircase that swept to either side to reach the next floor. It sort of reminded him of an old and important library, and it had that musty scent that always accompanied when you had an abundance of wood in a close space.

"Yes?" Questioned the desk secretary suddenly to make Steve jump, her words echoing slightly in the vastness of the foyer. She was looking up from her paperwork now, her eyes slightly narrowed as she obviously sized him up, before finally softening with a gentle curious smile as she removed her glasses. "Can I help you?"

"Yes, thank you, I was wondering if you could tell me how to get to the art department? Specifically Mr Clark's class?"

The mature lady's brow furled in thought and was about to inform him that non-students were not permitted inside the campus, but on spotting the hidden bunch of flowers peeking out from behind his back, she smiled tenderly. She knew full well who in that class they were intended.

"You're not allowed here, you know, young man." She said with feigned discipline. "Students only."

"I know, ma'am." He replied, sweeping his floppy fringe to the side. "I'm meeting a friend and I wanted to surprise her. I will only be a few minutes if you could perhaps... maybe just this time..."

"Alright alright." She relinquished with a grin as she stood up and leant forward over the desk to direct him with hand gestures. "Take the elevator to the third floor. When you're out, turn left and walk to the end of the corridor. Then turn right, and Mr Clark's class is the fourth door on the right."

"Thank you." Steve smiled. "I really appreciate it, ma'am."

"You're welcome. And good luck."

Steve grinned with a slight blush as he hurried over to the elevator.

After carefully following her instructions and using the time to calm his nerves, he was finally creeping closer to the open door of the large art class. He had never done anything like this before, and he hoped that it would be well received considering she actually hadn't invited him to come to the University.

Peeking inside around the door frame, he could see almost twenty easels set up in a circular fashion around a classic statue of a Grecian woman. Everyone was completely focused on their painting of the subject, some incorporating fantastical colours into the composition.

He tried to search out Cora amongst the artists, but the easels were obscuring most of his view. So he decided to search closer to the floor; The artist's feet which the canvases did not hide. All of the painters wore men's leather shoes, all very similar to one another but varying in different shades of brown. One pair, however, was most certainly female. The only woman in the class, as she had once told him.

On the far side of the art room, concealed by the large canvas, he could see the set of brown heeled pumps, slender calves and the hem of a rich green pencil skirt just below her knees. He watched and smiled as every now and then she would shuffle across the wooden floor. Steve could imagine her enthusiastic painting, whipping the brush across the linen in joyful strokes.

After Coney Island the night before, and after they had gone their separate ways from Bucky and Samantha, they had decided to take a walk for a little while before getting a cab to their respective homes. They had talked about her studies and art that she liked, as well as the sort of topics Steve enjoyed to draw. They had discussed their ideals and their families, and they had shared their favourite songs and movies. It was then that they had decided to meet again tonight to go see a new film that had just been released. At the time, she had questioned whether he would like a night off as she seemed to be starting to hog all his evenings, but Steve had almost leapt in disagreement, insisting that they go. Her smiling response had been beautiful to see, and truly satisfying to witness. He still could hardly believe how lucky he was to have her affections, that she wanted to spend time with him and get to know him more. On more than one occasion, he had wondered if he was dreaming.

"Thank you class, we will continue this tomorrow." Announced Mr Clark, a tall smartly dressed fellow with the cliché teachers glasses.

The students began to quickly wash out and pack up their brushes and paints, eagerly clearing up to leave the campus for the day. It was during this rush that Cora stepped aside the canvas, drying some of her brushes with a ragged cloth as she looked over her work. She didn't notice him as he stepped in slightly and leaned on the door frame, hiding the flowers behind his back in an attempt to act casual and cool as he watched her with a fond crooked smirk on his lips.

Cora's hair was pinned up today, keeping it tidy and out of her way whilst she created, but a small piece had worked it's way out and rested gently on her forehead. She wore a brown paint-spattered smock over her clothes that was oversized and rolled up at the cuffs. Her delicate hands were slightly stained with red paint, and he spotted the slightest smudge of blue near her brow. She was a beautiful picture of how an artist should be.

She dropped her now clean brushes into a wooden case that rested on a small stool beside her, and was about to pick up some more to dry when she glanced towards the door. She stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening with surprise as a bright smile appeared on her graceful face. Steve nodded a little and calmly waved once from his position at the door, before stuffing his hand back into his pocket and continuing to wait for her patiently.

Her hands rested on her hips as she giggled with disbelief, but then she suddenly realised she was still wearing the unflattering smock. Her smile disappeared as she rushed behind the canvas in embarrassment, which made Steve chuckle.

When she re-emerged, the smock was gone to reveal a cream shirt tucked into the waistband of her skirt. The students and teacher had left now, and the art room was silent apart from the gentle clicking of her heels on the wooden floor as she strolled over to him, cleaning off her hands on a damp cloth as she walked.

"Well this is certainly a surprise." She giggled, stopping just in front of him as he stood up straight to greet her. Unexpectedly, she placed a sweet kiss on his cheek that made him forget where he was for a second. "You didn't have to come all this way though."

Steve smiled, trying to hold back the blush from her kiss and the rapid beats of his chest, "Well after you told me about your class last night, I couldn't help myself. I thought perhaps I could take you out for an early dinner before the movie."

"I'd like that."

"Great. Oh here..." Steve whipped out the fresh bunch of flowers from behind his back, presenting her with a sweet bouquet of red carnations and soft white gypsophila. "I saw these on my way here and... well... I thought you would like them so..."

"They're beautiful." She smiled, gently accepting the flowers and brushing over his hand in the process. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

There was a moment of comfortable silence and he enjoyed her blush as she smelt her flowers. It was then that he noticed the blue smudge on her forehead again.

"Just a sec, don't move." He said, digging into his pocket to bring out a white cotton handkerchief.

Cora did as he asked, watching with a curious smile as he reached up with the very familiar handkerchief and wiped it over her brow a few times.

"I don't think you'd forgive me if I let you walk around with that all evening." He grinned, showing her the bright blue streak that stood out on the cloth, making her chuckle.

"I have no idea how that could have gotten there!" She smiled. "Thank you."

"Artist's enthusiasm, I guess."

Cora giggled, watching as he folding the handkerchief around the paint mark, glimpsing her embroidered initials before he put it back in his pocket, "I didn't know you carried it around with you."

Steve blinked a little with realisation, the embarrassment trying to seep in to heat his face, "Oh... I... erm... I mean it's..."

"Breathe." She interrupted fondly. "I actually think it's rather sweet."

Steve chuckled under his breath, looking down at his feet in nervous habit.

"Well, I should only be a minute." She said, taking pity on him and his blushing cheeks to change the subject before she hurried back over to her easel. "I just need to pack away my things then we can go."

"Can I help?" Steve offered, slowly following her over and relieved for her obvious sympathy. He really hadn't thought about revealing that he kept her handkerchief with him.

"Erm... Yes, if you wouldn't mind, could you dry off those brushes on the easel, please?" She replied as she placed the flowers on the bench behind her workplace and took the paint pallet to the sink to wipe it down quickly.

Steve picked up the damp cloth and was reaching for the brushes when his eyes were snatched by the artwork before him. He straightened up slowly, fixed by the wonderful array of deep and warm colours that swept across the canvas in a bold interpretation of the statue at the centre of the room.

"Do you like it?" She whispered suddenly behind him to make him jump a little with a smile.

"It's wonderful." He replied.

"We were meant to choose a colour palette and recreate the statue, whilst trying to convey an emotion or personality trait at the same time."

"Which one did you choose?"

"Heroism and courage."

Steve grinned, "It's perfect."

"Thank you. Come on, let's get some dinner otherwise we might miss the movie."

Quickly packing up her brushes and paints in her leather satchel, she pulled on her tan wool coat and did up the buttons as Steve politely swung her satchel onto his shoulder to carry it for her. She smiled her thanks as she picked up her flowers and purse from the work bench, slipped her arm through his as his hand once again dung itself into his pocket, and strode out of the art room with the excitement of another evening together.

* * *

The sky was pitch and speckled with a blanket of glistening stars above New York. The air was gentle and chilled, the sounds of the city an easy thrum that was neither imposing nor quiet. Steve and Cora were enjoying it all and each others company as they strolled along the street pavements past bright bar windows, street lamps and cruising cars.

Their early dinner had been wonderfully filled with conversation and blushing gazes from time to time, which amused them to no end. The new movie had proven to be a romance, and they both couldn't help but smile fondly and bashfully at each other when something particularly passionate or loving happened. Steve hadn't plucked up the courage to take her hand though, as was cinema tradition it seemed. Even though he was almost certain she wouldn't have minded, one part of him still saw that giant step as being terrifying to attempt and risk rejection. Instead, he settled for the fresh aura of her perfume, her warmth against his arm and their shared glances.

All in all, it had been a superb night.

"I felt a little sorry for her." Cora discussed about the film as they casually walked arm in arm, her flowers still cradled in her free arm along with her purse. "She really did love him, but his rejection was the thing that sent her over the edge in a way. It made her emotions desperate and twisted."

"True, but she lost sight of what it means to love." Steve agreed with a sympathetic smile. "It's tragic really. No-one should be rejected like that, it's harsh."

"It was, but on the other hand would it have been harsher for him to pretend he loved her too? In a way, I guess he did her a service with being honest, but he went about it in a typically brutish manner that I don't agree with."

"Typically?" Steve asked with a quizzical smirk.

"Oh I don't mean that all men are brutish, of course." She giggle apologetically. "Some are just extraordinarily dim when it comes to emotions. Present company excluded."

"Thanks." He chuckled with her. "I like to think I've had my share of rejection so I know how not to deal it back at others."

Cora squeezed his arm reassuringly, "Their loss is my gain."

Steve grinned at her before looking back down at his shoes to hide again.

"I really did enjoy myself tonight." Cora smiled, taking mercy on him and changing the subject a little. His shyness was sweet, but she hoped that one day he would feel completely comfortable around her.

"Me too."

Cora looked down the street with a content smile, but slowly it dissipated to be replaced with a concerned thought. It was a constant ache in the back of her mind as to how she would deal with it, if she had to at all, but now that they were becoming closer, she felt that she was somehow lying or being purposely false with him, and he didn't deserve that in the slightest.

"What's wrong?" Steve asked gently, feeling her change in demeanour.

"I was just thinking." She replied with a soft smirk that didn't quite reach her eyes. She was uncertain if she should share her secret, despite how keeping it from him made her feel. She was frightened he may react badly, maybe even see her differently.

"You know you can talk to me if something is bothering you."

"I know."

"And I won't judge you for it."

"I wouldn't be so sure." She retorted with a joking smile.

"There isn't anything you can say, Cora, that will change the way I see you." He reassured her more strongly.

"Thank you." She smiled in return, moving a little closer to hold his arm with both hands for courage, amused at how he had somehow intuitively answered one of her concerns. "I suppose I should tell you."

"I wouldn't dream of pressuring you if you're not ready to share..."

"Oh I know that, Steve..."

"I just want you to be happy." He finished.

"I know that too." She smiled at him again, looking him in the eyes this time. "But you need to know this about me."

"Alright."

Cora took a deep breath and closed her eyes to muster up some courage, "As you know, I moved to New York about a year ago to study."

"From England yeah...?!" He asked even though he knew the answer. Steve was just trying to make her feel at ease with inquisitive encouragement. How bad could this confession be after all?

"Right. But you don't know the why." She took another deep breath again and bit the bullet. "I was engaged."

Steve immediately halted and stared with shock.

_Engaged?_ He could barely believe it, could barely allow himself to accept it. Engaged? With a man? How is that possible? Was she _still_ engaged? And if she was, was her fiancée in the army and their time together over the last few days was just a past-time to get over her loneliness? Did Cora really like him in the same way he liked her? Had he been kidding himself all this time?

"Steve, wait, please let me finish!" Cora hurriedly asked, holding onto him desperately with the slight fear that he may just turn away from her and walk. "I _was_ engaged."

"Oh." Steve relaxed a little when his hopeful brain latched onto the emphasis she placed on the past tense of her statement, though the surprise of it was still present in his slightly stiff demeanour.

"Can we walk, please? If you still want me to tell you that is." She asked with a small nervous plea in her gaze. Steve nodded as he couldn't quite get any words out at that moment.

They began to stroll again in silence. Steve should have guessed that she had been attached before, I mean she was beautiful and amazing, of course she would have been snatched up at the earliest opportunity. He just hadn't thought about it.

"His name was Harry." She continued, a little quieter. "He was the son of an English politician and just as proud as his father. He was different when we met, he was carefree in a way. But as we grew up, his father's influence began to loom over him. He began to be obsessed with success and moving within advantageous circles to improve his social status. He proposed to me and it was foolish of me to accept but I didn't know what else to do at the time. And I suppose I still had hope that the old Harry was in there somewhere."

Steve listened carefully, steadily growing a dislike to her ex and feeling the bitter sting of jealousy trying to build. He batted it down though, refusing to be that kind of man.

"I became decoration for him, introduced at parties but barely listened to if I wanted to join in an intellectual conversation with the men in the room. When I told him that I wanted to study art, he simply scoffed at it, saying it was idiotic. Then I had my accident."

"Your accident?" Steve suddenly found his voice at those words, his brow furling with worry as he looked at her.

"I was hit by a car." She said. "Doctors said that I was lucky to be alive. Unfortunately, I... suffered with the consequences afterwards."

"What do you mean?"

"Harry was now..." Her hesitation with her words showed Steve that it was a painful memory for her to tell. "He was now with a woman who became the centre of gossip within those circles that he cherished so much, and it wasn't nice or complementary, or even sympathetic chatter. As he put it, Harry was now the only _'useful and functional side of the coin'._"

Steve saw the small tear roll down her cheek though her words were not affected as she tried to not look him in the eye. Biting on his insecurities for what he was about to do, his free hand slowly came to rest on top of hers as she held his arm for comfort. However, silently inside, he boiled with anger from Harry's cruel words about her. How could he have possibly been so grotesquely dismissive and harsh to one of the greatest women he had ever met?

"For a long time he had an image of himself being this perfect politician with the perfect wife and a perfect son to carry his name. And now that I couldn't fulfil that dream... I..."

Steve sighed with realization and sympathy, "I'm sorry, Cora."

"The doctors said that if by some miracle I managed to conceive then I would most likely miscarry during the first trimester, or the poor thing would be still-born."

"I'm so sorry."

"I've come to live with it." She smiled softly and sadly at him. "After that news, he left and began to spread the rumour that I had become angry and bitter after my accident, and he couldn't cope anymore. It put him in a sympathetic light for the distinguished masses that he cared about."

"Couldn't you have set the record straight?"

"Harry had been the one that mattered to them. They wouldn't believe me even if I had tried."

"Bastards." Steve said under his breath before he could stop himself, and was immediately distraught by his language in front of her. "Sorry, I didn't..."

"It's okay." She chuckled. "They were."

Steve smiled in return, glad to see her brightening from the gloom of her story, "So then you decided to move here?"

"Yes. I spent a little while with my parents to recuperate, then I decided to make a fresh start and chase my dream regardless. I was fortunate as my family is fairly wealthy back in England and they were able to support me with it. They had begged me to stay there to study, but I explained that I wanted to get away from all the idle gossip that I knew would follow me. So I applied to NYU and I was accepted. Haven't looked back since."

"Well... you're certainly building a list." Steve smirked.

"A list?"

"Well you're already beautiful, intelligent, kind and talented. Now you've just added incredibly brave."

Cora blushed with a shy chuckle, squeezing his arm a little which he rather enjoyed. He had also noticed that she hadn't moved her hands away from his, and were still resting beneath his fingers.

"By the way, for what it's worth..." He said gently. "You would have made a wonderful mother."

"Thank you." She replied genuinely, gazing at his sweet blue eyes as they walked slowly.

However, they really should have been more alert as they passed a black alley.

A pair of arms suddenly shot out of the darkness to wrench Cora from Steve, her flowers dropping to the pavement as she was pinned back against the assailant's body to threaten her with a knife near her throat, dragging her backwards into the darkness to make Steve follow and get out of sight of the main road.

"Let her go!" Steve exclaimed.

"Money. Now." He demanded, a woollen mask obscuring his features as he stood in the gloom.

Steve was shocked and worried to death for Cora, but he didn't hesitate as he ferreted in his pockets for the small bundle of notes, "Easy now. It's fine, just... just be careful with that blade there."

"Hurry up!" He demanded, tugging on Cora for emphasis to make her jump.

Her eyes were slightly panicked as she breathed deeply, not daring to move whilst the knife was so close to her neck. She watched at Steve did the only thing he could, obviously not wanting to get her harmed out of pride. She knew that he might have tried to take him on otherwise. He was that sort of guy. He would have fought out of principle.

"Here." Said Steve, inching forward to hand the mugger the roll of money, which he snatched quickly and pocketed, returning his grip around her chest and shoulders. "Okay, you've got everything I have, now just let her go. Carefully."

"Empty your satchel."

Steve did as he asked regretfully, unbuckling the straps and upturning the bag to let the contents clatter to the floor, "It's just art supplies, worthless to you."

"Your watch!" He demanded, getting more agitated. With a small sigh Steve complied, knowing that this mugger just may not ever be satisfied. And that could be bad news. "And you, princess. Your purse."

"She doesn't have anything." Steve said desperately, trying to save her dignity. "It's just make-up in there."

"Nice try, putz." He said, tugging on her again.

She slowly passed the small purse to Steve, her hand shaking slightly but her eyes not holding much fear of her attacker. Steve gently took it and shook the contents onto the floor, revealing that there was only make-up, a small mirror, a set of keys and a few dollars in there after all.

"See." Said Steve, trying his best to remain calm and ease the situation away from violence. "She doesn't have anything for you, now just let her go and we'll leave it at that."

"Oh I don't know." He replied in a slimy tone of voice as he lowered his concealed face to her neck and took in a deep breath of her perfume. Steve saw her physically repulsed, and he could feel the rage building in him at his threatening behaviour, his hands instinctively curling into fists. "I think she might have something I'd like. And I think she might like it too, right darling?"

"Over my dead body." She responded, trying to struggle.

"Not a problem for me."

Cora screamed as he suddenly wrenched her back and started to drag her deeper into the darkness of the alley and further away from the street lights.

"Hey hey hey!" Exclaimed Steve, launching after them, "Let her go!"

"Stay right there, hero!" He smugly threatened as Cora struggled against him. "It's not like you were gonna' get this tail anyway."

Steve moved to rush him from the sheer anger he felt at the idea of him all over her.

"I said..." Began the mugger as he turned and faced Steve, threatening him with the knife. But that was his mistake, and Cora used that moment to her advantage.

Grabbing his restraining hand, she slammed the heel of her shoe into his foot, making him yelp as she rammed her head back into his nose, then bit his wrist savagely.

Steve used the time to grab the arm that held the knife, trying his utmost to get him to drop the blade, but he was ultimately too weak to force it. He was only just managing to keep the weapon away from Cora as she tried to free herself.

The mugger shouted with pain and anger, snatching his vice-like arm away from Cora's teeth to grab a hand full of her hair, throwing her away to collide harshly with a wall.

Steve was then punched in the gut and kneed in the crotch, but still he held onto the guy's wrist... Until he was punched square in the face and was sent sailing back into some garbage cans to lie unconscious in the grime.

"Steve!" Cora screamed with worry and panic for him as she pushed herself from the floor using the wall. She could feel a small hot trickle snaking down towards her right brow.

She watched as the mugger turned away from him, satisfied that he wouldn't be interrupted, his smug face partially hidden by a mask as he looked down at her.

Cora's sight moved from the unconscious body of her date, slowly up to glare at his attacker in the low light of the filthy alley. Her teeth were clenched with restraint, her lips slightly trembling with a silent snarl as her eyes filled with wrath.

* * *

"Steve? Steve, can you hear me?"

An angelic voice was beckoning to him as he gently pulled away from the blackness of sleep. He blinked a few times, his eyes trying to adjust to the darkness to see her divine face hovering over him, her soft hands resting either side of his jaw. Her wonderful eyes now held an air of worry in them. Was she worried about him?

"Cora?" He mumbled slightly, widening his eyes for a moment to try and clear his woozy head.

"It's me." She smiled with a sigh. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." Unsteadily, he pushed himself to sit up, her hands coming to rest on his shoulders now as if ready to support him. "Are _you_ okay?"

"I'm alright."

"Where is he?" He asked, looking around but seeing no sign of the attacker except the strewn contents of her purse and satchel.

"He ran off when he heard police sirens. We were lucky."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't." She interrupted, her hand coming to rest on his neck to gently stroke his jawline. "Come on. We should get you somewhere safe, you may have a concussion. Do you think you can walk?"

"Yeah, I think so." He said, struggling to his feet with her help and that of the wall. He dusted off his trousers and wiped away some of the blood from beneath his nose, trying to bury the shame and embarrassment.

"We can get a cab to my apartment." She said gently, brushing aside his floppy hair from his face. "Hospital won't do much for a dizzy head and bloody nose, but at least we can get you cleaned up."

Steve's heart stuttered and flustered at the idea of going to her apartment, and he tried to keep the instinctive side of his thoughts under control.

He watched as she quickly gathered up all the scattered belongings, carelessly dropping and pushing it all in to squeeze into the satchel before she holstered it on her shoulder and looked around quickly as if checking to make sure she hadn't missed anything. Steve could have just been imagining it, of course, what with being concussed, but she seemed almost... panicked but clear and methodical in her search, as if she were hunting for clues. Or not wanting to leave any.

"Don't worry about it." He said, figuring she was trying to find something of his. "Whatever it is I'm sure we can survive without it. Unless it's your keys."

Cora smiled, walking over to him as she adjusted the bag strap, "No, I have those. I was just making sure I hadn't missed anything. Now, let's get you home."

Steve smiled affectionately as she slipped under his arm and circled one of hers around his waist, trying to be a support for him should he need it. They walked out of the alley, scanning the street up and down before she spotted a passing taxi and waved it down frantically.

"Wait, just a sec." He said, carefully unravelling himself from her arm to slowly bend down to the pavement and retrieve the last thing she had dropped.

Cora smiled tenderly as he sweetly presented her once again with her bouquet of flowers, sniffing slightly against nose bleed. He smirked apologetically as some of the flowers were broken or squashed, but Cora accepted them back without question as the taxi pulled up.

* * *

"Here we are." She said, gently releasing his arm to open the door to her apartment and lead him inside.

Steve looked about curiously as he slowly followed her, stopping in a short hallway as she closed and locked the door behind them. Even though his head was pounding and his stomach ached, he still felt nervous about being in her home, not only because of the obvious implications that could potentially unfold or be implied by others, but because it was so much grander than his modest abode. He felt a little out of place.

"Come on in." She invited, walking past him to drop her purse and satchel on a leather chair and turn on a few table lamps. She then went to the kitchen to place the flowers in the sink and light the stove to heat some water in the kettle.

Steve's hands found his pockets again as he slowly followed her into the lounge of the apartment, gazing around at the stylish space whilst being surrounded in the same magnificent scent that he associated with her. It floated in the air like a spring breeze, and he wished he could somehow bottle it.

Though the walls were the same cream colour as the building's halls, there were warm paintings tastefully adorning them, one large landscape in particular hanging above a rosewood gramophone unit with two large windows either side which he imagined would light up the room in the daytime. The floor was a dark wood and spotless, the couch and seats matching with a soft brown leather as they were arranged to face each other towards the small coffee table at the centre.

There were two bookcases against one wall that led to the short hallway, both filled with knowledge and records for the gramophone. There were wooden sideboards against other walls that housed family photographs in elegant frames, and standing in the corner by the window was a tall artist's easel which was empty of a canvas for now.

Straight off the lounge was an open kitchen, simple and clean but seemingly housing all the modern amenities possible for an apartment building. There was a small wooden dining table in the middle of the kitchen space, acting both as an eating and cooking surface with two matching chairs tucked underneath.

Just off to the right of there were two doors. One was closed which he imagined to be the gleaming bathroom, and the other which was closet to him was opened up to show her bedroom within. Steve swallowed reflexively as he saw her large soft double bed. There were no windows which would allow for a lot of privacy, but he stopped his amorous train of thoughts immediately when he realised that fact in particular. However, he allowed himself a small crooked smile when he saw the Coney Island bear that he had won for her was propped up neatly against her pillows.

"You don't have to stand, you know." Cora smiled from the kitchen as she wiped a damp cloth over her forehead, waiting for the kettle to whistle. She refolded the cream cloth to hide the blood from her head wound and wipe her skin again with a clean part, but this did not go unnoticed from Steve, who had not even seen her injury. It must have been hidden under her hair and by the darkness of the evening, but still he cussed silently for his lack of observation.

"You're hurt." He said, marching into the kitchen. "Are you alright?"

"Oh yes, I'm fine." She replied with a small smile as he brushed back her hair slightly to see. She breathed deep as she faced him, trying her best to remain calm even though he was very close to pressing against her. There were definitely moments when he forget his shyness, it seemed. "It's just a small cut. Looks worse that it is."

Steve gently took the damp cloth from her and began to dab at the small gash just beneath her hairline, seeing how a sore lump was forming and would be a bruise by tomorrow, "You should have said something."

"And you, sir..." She retorted with a grin as she took the cloth back, the kettle whistling in the background. She needed to step back from him and his affectionate care before she did something that was far too bold to contemplate after only a few days of knowing each other, "Worry far too much over so little. You are in worse shape than I am, so go and sit down."

Steve quickly side stepped her to remove the kettle from the heat and turn off the stove. He then looked down at his filthy clothes, stained from the grime of the alley and the trash he had landed amongst, "I don't want to get your furniture dirty."

Cora just chuckled as she collected a clean cloth, put a little cold water in a bowl from the tap and then added hot water from the kettle before dropping the cream cloth in to soak, "Take a seat, Steve."

He smiled gratefully, walking back over to the lounge with his hands in his pockets and carefully chose a spot in the middle of the couch, but decided to sit on the edge and lean on his knees rather than relax back so to minimise the chance of staining the leather.

The sudden sounds on unusual clinking against the wooden floor grabbed his attention to look up in time to see her shaking off her shoes before she picked up the bowl and walked over to him. He blinked when she sat on the wooden coffee table directly in front of him, placing the bowl of water next to her.

Steve's stomach tossed a little, his mouth feeling drier from being in such close company, his knitted fingers as he leant forward almost able to brush against her knees if they were so familiar with one another to allow him. It only made things more nervous for him when she scooted a little closer, her legs pretty much between his own knees, then gently cupped his jaw and began to tenderly wipe away the remnants of blood from his face with a warm damp cloth.

He was frozen, locked in a soft gaze as he watched her carefully tend to him without once seeming exasperated or repulsed. From time to time she would wash out the cloth in the bowl and ring out the water before returning to his face, checking around his hairline for any more wounds. Finally she slipped her free hand into one of his without a word and wiped the cloth over the back of his hand to clean off the blood and dirt.

"I'm sorry." He said quietly, making her look up at him curiously. "I should have done more to protect you."

"Don't." She said, interrupting him before he could say more as her nursing halted to look at him with sincerity and seriousness. "What happened was not your fault."

"But it would have been if he had seriously hurt you." He responded in turn.

"He didn't." She smiled reassuringly, squeezing his hand gently, her thumb slowly brushing over his skin. His heart, of course, was racing at the affectionate contact. "Thanks to you. You kept me safe, even if you don't think so."

"He knocked me out, Cora. That isn't safe."

"I'm here, aren't I?"

"Out of sheer luck." He retorted, his shame beginning to burn more now as he thought of what the mugger could have done to her whilst he was unconscious. "If it wasn't for the sirens scaring him off, he would have..."

Steve couldn't finish his sentence, his anger building at his weakness. His head bowed to try and calm himself. Why must he be this way? Why must he be so sickly and scrawny? He knew he was meant to be better than this, meant for more! How could he deserve her if he couldn't even help when she needed him the most?!

"Steve." She whispered, her silken voice so close to his ear that it made him freeze as his eyes shot open with surprise. He dared not move, only look down at their hands that were still entwined, not wanting to cause her to move further away and take her soft scent with her. "I'm here, and I'm okay. And that's because of you."

Cora gently sat back enough to direct his face up to look at her. She smiled gently, her guiding hand sweeping from his chin to brush along his jawline and hold his heated cheek.

"If I was alone tonight, it may have turned out very different. You were smart, and brave, and you saved my life. Thank you."

Her smile was beautifully tender, filled with appreciation and affection as she looked him in the eyes, unfaltering and locked in the moment. As Steve continued to hold her gaze, his heart thundering in his chest as he felt her hand tightly in his, it was strange for him to think that he had only met her three days ago. They were so attuned, so trustful with one another that he was sure that anyone else might think of them as a couple for years. He knew that it was risky to fall for a dame so wholeheartedly after so short a time, but he couldn't stop himself. Steve was falling for her hard, and as she gazed back at him he began to have hope that she just might feel the same for him too. Miracles really did happen it seemed.

"It's getting late." Cora smiled shyly as she looked away and scooted back, standing to pick up the bowl with the bloodied cloth, with Steve politely getting to his feet as well.

"Right." He replied, a little too enthusiastically from nerves, his hands instantly sinking into his pockets. "I should probably go."

"Well, you're more than welcome to stay on the couch if you like." She offered, holding onto the bowl for comfort. She was a little out of practice with this sort of thing. It had been a very long time since a man had been in her apartment so late, never mind with the possibility of still being there in the morning, even if nothing intimate happened between them.

Steve couldn't help the bright grin that spread over his lips, though he bowed his face a little to try and hide it, "I would like to, but I wouldn't want to cause any rumours. Who knows what people might come up with."

Cora giggled, a little disappointed whilst also being relieved at the same time. She suddenly realised now that it may have been a step too far and too soon. She didn't want to rush and jump into something they weren't ready for yet. Fortunately, Steve was a gentleman.

"I hadn't thought of that." She smiled.

"If I'm honest, I'm kinda' wishing that I hadn't." He admitted with a chuckle.

"Are you going to be alright getting home?"

"Oh yeah, I'll get a cab or walk or something." He replied, his hand shooting out of his pocket with nervous hand gestures before retreating to his pocket once more.

"You'll need money then." She suddenly said, putting the bowl back down on the coffee table to hurry over to the satchel on the chair.

"Oh no no, I'll be fine, really." Steve tried to protest as she brought out some crumpled notes from the bag, folded them and tried to hand them to him.

"It's your money, Steve." Cora smirked.

His brow furrowed with confusion, "The mugger left it behind?"

"I... I guess so." She replied, the slight nervousness and hesitation not missed on him.

"Cora." He smiled fondly, figuring that she was telling a little white lie to get him to accept her cash. "I don't want your money."

"Oh really?" She quirked, purposely teasing him with a little crude suggestion to distract him and lighten the mood.

"You know what I mean." He chuckled, trying desperately to control the heat of his body from her joke.

"Please, take it." She asked gently, stepping towards him to close the distance. "You may still have a woozy head and I won't sleep knowing you're walking home so late at night."

He sighed, his resolve crumbling with her sincere request.

"Please, Steve. For me." She smiled gently, pulling his hand out from his pocket and placing the money in his palm to close his fingers around it.

"One day, that smile may topple empires." He joked, enjoying the feel of her hand around his once again. "Use it wisely."

Cora giggled, "I will, trust me."

They stood there in silence, once again cocooned in a haze of attraction and nerves. It was too soon, they both knew it. They could wait.

Steve cleared his throat politely and stepped back, trying with all his resolve to not think of a brilliant reason to stay after all.

"I'll show you out." She said gently, walking over to the door to unlock it.

Steve followed her, stepping out to stand in the hallway as she leant alluringly on her door jam.

"Are you sure you're alright to get home?" She asked, her arms crossed casually over her bossom, her auburn hair cascading over her right shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm sure." He replied, his hands finding his pockets. "You know, mugging aside, I really did have a great night, Cora."

"Me too." She smiled in return, brushing her waving hair behind one ear. "And thank you, for being so understanding."

Steve's brow furrowed as a small fond smirk tweaked his lips, "No need to thank me. I told you there was nothing you could say that would change anything."

Cora couldn't help herself, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms about his neck and shoulders, holding him tightly in her embrace as she fought back the threatening wetness in her happy eyes.

Steve smiled, hesitating for a moment before his hands slipped out of his pockets and gently pulled her closer to him, throwing caution to the wind considering the events of the evening. His palms lay flat to her back between her shoulder blades and at the base of her spine, and he fought back the reflexive quiver when he realised he could feel her suspender belt beneath her clothes. She smelt divine, her perfume rising from her warm smooth neck that was close enough to kiss.

"Then thank you for being you." She whispered, a hand coming to rest on his jaw before she placed a tender kiss on his cheek.

Steve's heart hitched and he concentrated on cold thoughts whilst trying to revel in the softness of her lips. The kiss was longer than any she had given him before, seemingly filled with all her affection and gratitude and sweetness, and when she pulled back from it he could still feel her warmth on his skin.

"Don't ever change." She added quietly, her beautiful face remaining next to his own.

"Yes, ma'am." He replied, making her giggle with familiarity as he smiled.

Remaining silent in one another's arms, their cheeks almost pressed together as neither of them wanted to part, Steve found some of his courage to try something.

"There's a sort of Future fayre tomorrow night." He said softly. "I don't suppose you would like to go with me...?"

"I'd love to." She smiled, enjoying how tenderly yet securely he held her. His hands, though smaller than most men due to his size, felt strong and kindly on her back, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like if he caressed her face or neck.

"Good." He replied with a small laugh and sigh of relief. "'cos I think my heart was trying to leap up my throat."

Cora giggled, her head bowing to rest on his shoulder for a moment at his joke, before returning to their intimate company once again. She really did enjoy his humour.

"I'll come by and pick you up." He said. "Around seven?"

"Seven is fine."

"Okay." He said, it was all he could manage to say as he got closer to the moment where he needed his nerve the most.

"Good night, Steve." Said Cora softly.

Here it was! It was now or never!

"Good night..." He replied, grabbing onto his mettle inside him before slowly and gently placing a warm kiss on her cheek.

His eyes slipped shut as he heard her gasp ever so lightly but didn't move away from him as he lingered on her soft skin for a moment. In fact he felt her head tilt towards him with appreciation, her cheek rising a little into a shy smile before he slowly parted from her.

"Cora." He finished in a deep whisper, and he thought it might have been his imagination but she may have even quivered slightly beneath his hands.

He stepped back, his hold slipping across her back to respectfully hold her waist as her hands rested on his shoulders, their joyful gazes locked to each other with bashful glee before they both chuckled together at their almost child-like reactions to the brief spark of intimacy.

Cora had a wonderful blush of soft pink over her cheeks that he could be proud of as she gently backed out of his hold and went back inside her apartment, lingering in the doorway as his hands found his pockets. They smiled at each other, watching each other with no words able to capture their emotions and thoughts and do them justice, until finally the door clicked shut and they were parted for the evening.

Steve grinned widely, looking down at his shoes as he walked along the hallway to the elevator, unable to restrain his glee that his small act of affection that had taken so much courage for him to do had turned out so brilliantly. She had been truly thrilled and intimately attracted to him in that moment. He could still recall her gasp and quiver clearly.

Perhaps tomorrow, if he could muster up his nerve again, he might even offer her his hand to hold rather than his arm.

Pressing the button for the elevator, he sighed as he waited patiently, his head lolling back with contentment. It had been one hell of a night. If he had to imagine what the evening would have entailed when he woke up, he never would have guessed right. Still, he was just thoroughly grateful that it had ended so well, and safely.

Steve pulled out the folded notes from his pocket, checking to see if he had enough money to get a cab home. Even though he was pretty much flying in the clouds right now, his head and stomach still kind of ached. He unravelled the notes, counting as he did, and stopped when he reached a particular five dollar bill. Looking at it closely, his brow creased with thought and confusion as he recognized the distinctive tear through the dead presidents face, as he had actually noticed it this morning.

Looking at the note in his hand, and then the rest of the money, Steve realised that the roll _was_ his after all. Yet that made no sense. He had handed the money to the mugger, watched him pocket it. There was no way he could have dropped it or would have left it behind if he did somehow, but this bill was definitely his own. It was too much of a coincidence for Cora to have a five dollar note with a tear exactly in the same place.

So, how did she get the money?


	4. Chapter 4 - The Right Partner

**Hey Folks!**

**I hope you're enjoying the story so far!**

**I've had some wonderful support and reviews! Thank you all so so so much, it really encourages me to keep going so please do carry on showing the love for the story.**  
**Also, over 500 views in little over a week since it was published. WOW!**

**Just to let you all know, as I think there were some queries about it, there will be a few more chapters set in the 1940's before we jump back to modern day. I want to make sure I get their back story spotless and not rush through it. Their bond needs to form and set roots in them, and hints about Cora need to be shown in preparation for the rest of the story, so please do have patience. Captain America will be back in all his kick ass glory very soon!**

**Ooh, and just as a little side note for this chapter... The music they dance to is called _It's Been A Long Long Time_ by _Harry and His Orchestra_. It is the music that plays on Steve's gramophone in Winter Soldier during Nick Fury's attempt to hide out in his apartment. Just thought it would be a nice little nod, almost like Steve still listens to the song to remember.**

**Anyway, Enjoy and please do favourite, follow and/or review!**

* * *

**CHAPTER 4 - The Right Partner.**

Steve and Cora pleasantly strolled across the Expo square, smiling brightly at the colourful lights and spray of fireworks that continuously lit up the evening sky. The place was a sea of bustling people eager to see what the future could hold, families and couples dashing around to see everything that was in store for them: There was an impressive mono-rail that speeded overhead, a colossal frame of an Atlas, dramatic classical statues and towering spotlights that waved into the sky, and those were but a few of the spectacles outside. There were also multiple exhibition halls that held a plethora of cutting edge technology to tantalise the public's imagination. This was the first Stark Industries Expo ever held, and it certainly lived up to the hype from the newspapers.

Cora held onto Steve's arm in the usual manner as they walked, marvelling at the grandness of the event and chatting about various other things as well. They spoke about England and about growing up in Brooklyn, Steve's views and passions about being a soldier, and they swapped their favourite books and tales. However, he still hadn't worked up the courage to offer her his hand yet. He was still hopeful though as the night progressed. There was no rush, last night had shown him that she did have romantic feelings for him, so he just needed to convince himself that she wouldn't reject his touch.

When he had arrived at her apartment building to pick her up, it was difficult to contain the wide grin that had wanted to plaster across his face. He hadn't been able to get the night before out of his head, and had been wondering all day how it would affect their bond. If he had worried at all, it was immediately put to rest when she had opened the door with a beautiful smile and enthusiasm to head out together once again.

There was, however, something about last night that had confused him. Even troubled him a little, and he needed to ask about it to put his uneasy curiosity to rest.

"Cora." He said, pulling her attention from the mono-rail above as it whizzed by, "Last night... about the money you gave me..."

"Steve, don't worry about it." She interrupted with a smile.

"I know, it's just that the money... it _was_ mine." He said, gently stopping to pull out the distinctive torn note from his pocket. Cora looked on curiously, "This note was in the bundle you gave me for a cab, and I know it was in my pocket yesterday morning because of the tear."

"Well, of course it's yours, Steve." She responded, politely unconcerned as if he was making a mountain out of mole hill. "I did say so last night but you wouldn't believe me."

"I know, you said that the mugger must have dropped it, but I saw him put it in his pocket."

"Then... I don't know... maybe he missed his pocket and it dropped on the floor?" She replied, her brow furled with slight irritation as she began to feel like she was being accused or interrogated by him. "Why all the questions?"

"Something just doesn't add up. A guy goes to all that trouble to rob us then leaves everything behind when he hears sirens? Doesn't seem right."

"Well had you thought that perhaps he wasn't after money in the first place?" She pointed out defensively, almost aggressively, letting go of his arm. "That it was just an excuse to get you _and_ me into the alley so he could knock you out then..."

Cora paused as she realised she was starting to be hostile towards him for no reason. She looked away from his thoughtful stare to calm her emotions and thumping pulse, reminding herself that he hadn't accused her of anything. He was just being curious.

Steve realised what she had meant the moment she spoke. It wasn't an option he had considered, and now that he thought about it, the idea enraged him. The possibility that the man had stalked them to get at her, knowing that Steve would be too weak to stop an attack made him furious.

However, he managed to keep his anger under control with a sigh and a discreet squeeze of his fists. He could see that his questions had upset her, and he could understand now that she might have construed it as negative accusations towards her.

"I'm sorry." He said gently, thinking rapidly of how he could fix the situation. "I didn't mean to upset you."

"I know." She said, looking into his eyes to express her sincerity now that she was calmer. "It just seemed like you were hinting that what I had told you was a lie, and you were giving me a chance to admit it. Why would I lie to you, Steve?"

"That wasn't my intention, I didn't mean for it to sound like I was blaming you or hinting at you. I'm sorry." He apologised, stepping a little closer to her. Taking a inconspicuous deep breath, he very slowly slipped his hand beneath one of hers as she grasped her purse in front of her. Fortunately, she responded by holding his hand in return which did wonders for his confidence. "I do believe you. Sometimes I'm too curious for my own good. Forgive me?"

"Perhaps." She replied, a small smirk pulling at her deep scarlet lips. "It depends."

"On what?" He grinned, relieved that she didn't seem to be angry with him anymore.

"I haven't decided yet." Said Cora, glancing at him with a mischievous sparkle in her eyes to show him that he was forgiven.

"Be sure to let me know when you think up my penance."

"Oh I will." She giggled, relaxing once again now that the questions had ceased. However, her heartbeat had risen a little due to him gently holding her fingers. At least there was a silver lining to the small disagreement.

"So, I think there's a flying car in there." Said Steve, nodding towards a large domed building that was lit up with neon blue and spotlights, a stylish font across the front declared it to hold 'Modern Marvels'. "Shall we?"

"Lead the way." Cora smiled, readjusting her hand as she stepped up beside him to walk, her palm sliding beneath his hand to entwine her fingers between his, binding them together.

Steve beamed, feeling on top of the world with possibly the greatest woman alive. As they walked towards the exhibition hall, he couldn't help but wonder if the rest of the evening would continue to go just as well, disagreement aside. Would it be too presumptuous and ungentlemanly to hope for an embrace like the night before? Perhaps even another kiss? He wasn't sure, and the last thing he wanted was to rush in and ruin things between them. Maybe it would be best to let her decide and judge things by that. She really could be bold sometimes which he rather liked.

As they reached the glass doors, Steve held it open for Cora and expected her to let go of his hand to walk through, but instead she kept her grip and led him in behind her. It made him smile to think that she didn't want an excuse to part from his hold.

"Oh my." She gasped, taking in the various impressive displays and eager crowds.

Before them was a vast hall, decked out in a multitude of different exhibits. Walking through the crowd, they passed a giant sculptural diagram of the Earth, sectioned to show the inner core. It sort of reminded Cora of a conker in its spiky shell.

Behind them was a tall glass capsule which held a flamboyant red suit of some sort, dressed on a male mannequin. They stood there staring at it for a while, discussing what its purpose could be as they couldn't see an information board near by to give them answers. They speculated everything from a rescue suit for those stranded at sea to a bullet proof uniform, even giggled at the idea of it simply being an outrageous fashion statement judging by the tights.

"Hmm." Said Cora when they had stopped laughing, her brow now furrowed with thought.

"What you thinking about?" He asked.

"Oh I was just looking at the mannequins face. I had the sudden thought that it would be awful to be stuck in there if he was alive." She explained.

"It wouldn't be so bad, really. At least you can see everywhere around you."

"But he'd still be trapped." She pointed out, but then shook her head slightly to dispel the melancholy, her waving hair bouncing with the motion to waft her scent around Steve. "Never mind me. I'm not sure why I even thought that."

"Don't worry about it." He smirked, "However you might want to look up."

Cora did as he suggested, raising her sights above her.

"Wow." She gasped, gazing at the ceiling that was covered with a precise representation of the night's stars and far off galaxies with swirls of astronomical colour and sprays of glittering constellations filling the entire expanse of the dome.

"Impressive, huh?" Steve said, staring upward with an open-mouthed grin.

"Absolutely. I've never been much for studying the stars, but I can't deny just how beautiful it all is when you really look. It's not hard to understand why so many ancient civilisations believed them to be the homes of the gods."

"To be honest, it's hard to believe all that exists up there at all. Incredible."

"I know what you mean."

Suddenly, loud announcement music pulled them from their gazing to look towards the forming crowd on the other side of the circular hall. With a smile, Steve began to lead her through the hustle to try and get close to the action, but was halted by the call of an unexpected voice.

"Steve!"

He stopped immediately, turning at the shout of his name over the noise of the crowd. Cora stood next to him, a small smile growing on her lips as she recognized the man walking and waving towards them with a sweet young woman in tow.

"Is that Bucky?" Cora asked.

Steve's heart sunk a little as he stared at his best friend who was now in a new crisp Army uniform. Though part of him was happy for Bucky, he couldn't help but feel envious, as well as the sorrow for the loss of his friend who would now be going overseas. And because he would not be going with him.

"Yeah." He answered, a little mournfully. "I think it is."

"Whose that with him?" Asked Cora, fondly eyeing with amusement the excited young brunette in a sweet pale dress. "That doesn't look like Samantha."

"No I don't think it is." He said, taking a deep breath to try and perk himself up again. He wasn't going to let this spoil his evening with Cora. "But Bucky does get a lot of dates."

"Oh. It's a good thing I met him before you mentioned that otherwise I might think the worst of him." She teased, squeezing his hand to try and cheer him up. She had felt him deflate when realising it was his best friend, though she was unsure as to the reason.

"Just to warn you, we might get dragged into another double date." He replied with a cheeky smirk, watching as his pal and girl meandered through the crowd.

"Well from what I recall the last time didn't end so badly." Cora pointed out.

"Good point."

"Miss Cora." Bucky smiled as they finally reached them, immediately spotting that they were holding hands.

"Hi Bucky." She replied pleasantly.

"I tried to find you today, man, where you been?" Bucky asked, slapping Steve lightly on the shoulder.

"Yeah there was some things I needed to take care of." He replied, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah I can see that." Bucky replied, stealthily looking at another enlistment card sticking out of his friend's jacket pocket.

Steve rolled his eyes and tucked it further into his jacket, away from prying eyes, "I see you got your orders."

Bucky smiled, knowing that it would be hard for Steve to accept after he had been exempt so many times, "107th, Sergeant James Barnes shipping out for England first thing tomorrow."

Steve didn't reply, not sure what to say upon hearing Bucky would not only be in the army, but also in his father's old unit. It was like his best friend was living his dream without even trying, and though he didn't begrudge his pal this chance to serve, he couldn't help but feel disappointed for himself.

"I'm not sure if it's appropriate, but congratulations, Bucky." Cora offered sweetly.

"Thanks."

"Yeah... congratulations, pal." Steve finally added with a resigned but happy smirk.

"Thanks, slugger." Bucky replied with the same fond smile, though the sadness did not go unnoticed. It was for the best though, Steve was not made for war.

"So whose your beautiful date?" Cora chirped in, trying her best to brighten the mood which suddenly seemed a little sullen. She could guess that it was because his best friend was leaving, but her intuition said that there was more to it.

"Oh, this is Connie." He introduced, wrapping his arm around his smiling date's shoulders in the usual way he did. "Connie, this is Cora, and my best buddy Steve."

"Nice to meet you." Connie smiled, shaking each of their hands in turn. She seemed much nicer than Samantha fortunately.

"Pleasure, ma'am." Steve offered politely.

Another loud and stylish instrumental echoed through the dome, startling them to turn and take notice.

"Oh my god!" Connie exclaimed ecstatically, bouncing up and down to make her short hair jiggle. "It's starting!"

Steve and Cora watched with amusement as she dragged Bucky along behind her to filter into the crowd and get close to the stage. Fortunately the new soldier was chuckling at his dates playfulness, gesturing for the two of them to follow.

Standing together in a group, they watched the famous Howard Stark saunter onto the stage to stand before a shining red car, handing his top hat to one of the stage girls to take the microphone she offered, and gave her a kiss in return. As the girls shimmied to the back of the stage, Stark dabbed at the lipstick on his mouth with a handkerchief before addressing the growing crowd.

"Ladies and gentleman." He spoke smoothly with an air of charm that appeared to have most of the female onlookers swooning. Steve, however, was offering a sugar sweet to Cora from a small crumpled red and white paper bag. Of course, she accepted one with a smile, not falling for the millionaire's allure it seemed. "What if I was to tell you that in just a few short years, your auto mobile won't even have to touch the ground...at all?!"

They looked on with curiosity as the stage girls, dressed in feminised top and tails, removed the cars wheels to reveal individual machines emblazoned with the Stark Industries insignia in their place.

"Thanks, Mandy." Said Howard to one of the girls as he now stood before a portable control panel, "With Stark Industries gravitic reversion technology, you can do just that."

As he turned the dials on the control panel, a deep resonating noise emanated from the car. The music began to build towards a victory as Stark raised a lever and the car lifted with a golden glow from the machines, slowly hovering a foot above the stage.

"Holy cow." Said Bucky in cool awe.

"Couldn't have put it better myself." Smiled Cora as she watched on with intrigue, Steve's mouth dropping in anticipation as the car rose higher with the music.

As Stark presented his triumph to the crowd with a suave smile, suddenly the machines fizzed and sparked before cutting out completely to drop the car and be crushed beneath its weight. The onlookers jump and gasped, some giggled with surprise before picking up an applause for the show.

"I did say a few years, didn't I?!" Howard joked slightly nervously to win over the crowd and save face. Fortunately it worked as the clapping grew stronger.

"I dread to think how much that has just cost him." Smirked Steve as he clapped.

"He's rich, I'm sure he'll be fine." Replied Cora. "Where to next?"

Bucky piped in quickly with a suggestion, "Hey Steve, how about we treat these girls to the mono-rail?"

"Yeah, that sounds great!" Connie responded enthusiastically.

"Sure, I'm up for it." Said Steve as he looked back towards the doors, something catching his attention immediately: A direction sign for army enlistment. He felt the same familiar pull that he always did when he came in range of a recruiting station, even though it would probably end up the same as always.

"Steve?" Asked Cora quietly, touching his arm to get his attention, "You okay?"

He jumped a little, having been so focused on his indecision if he should go or stay, "Oh yeah, I'm fine."

Looking in the same direction that had ensnared his focus, Cora spotted the poster of Uncle Sam, and her stomach twisted. Could he really still be thinking about joining? Had Bucky's appearance tonight sparked his determination even more ferociously now that he knew his best friend was going to the front line?

"You still want to enlist." She said softly. It wasn't a question. She knew the answer already.

Steve nodded to her slowly, his eyes filled with a mixture of emotions: yearning, sorrow, shame, disappoint. The patriotic poster had brought out so many bad feelings for him, but she couldn't understand why. Unless... Had he already tried to enlist before? Had he been refused due to his size and health? It made sense. He was so passionate about serving his country, so of course he would have already tried to join. The only thing that would have stopped him would have been the recruiters.

Cora didn't want him to leave and fight any more than Bucky would want him to, but she couldn't stand the sadness he held. Being a soldier was all he had ever wanted to be, and even though she knew that he would probably never be accepted in his current physical condition, she at least wanted to show him support.

"Why don't you two go on ahead?" She suddenly said, looking at Steve with tenderness before turning to Bucky and Connie who she had been speaking to. "We'll catch you up later after I've had a talk with Steve."

Bucky's brow furled with thought, wondering what could be going on in her head. He had seen how his pal had reacted when he spotted the army poster beckoning him to join. And now that he was shipping out it would only make things worse. Perhaps Cora could talk some sense into him. He had seen for himself how Cora looked at Steve, so she wouldn't want him fighting either.

"Okay." He said with a small smile and nod, "We'll go get some ice cream and come back for you."

"Good idea." She agreed.

"Come on, babe, let's give these two some privacy." He charmed, wrapping his arm around Connie's shoulders to walk off through the crowd, talking and laughing all the way.

"Thought of my penance?" Asked Steve with a crooked cheeky smirk.

"No." She giggled before taking his hand smoothly, "Come with me."

Slightly confused and unsure, Steve went along with it, walking beside her quietly as he realised she was leading him to towards the bold poster of Uncle Sam that pointing at him as if judging him. They stopped in front of it for a moment and he watched as she closed her eyes to take a deep breath. His palms were getting clammy with what she might say next.

"Cora..."

"This way." She suddenly said, facing him with a supportive smile as she began to guide him in the direction of the enlistment office. He was slightly dumbstruck, he didn't know what to say. She was willingly approving of him being a soldier? Would she actually support him if he went to the front line for his country?

Descending the stairs to the recruitment office in silence, several patriotic flags billowing in the breeze, Cora began to feel nauseous. She knew that he wouldn't be accepted, that was certain. And she knew that she was just building up his hopes, but what else could she do? She wanted him to be happy and pursue his ambitions. No matter how much it pained her, she didn't want to be the sort of woman that would shoot down his dreams. That would make her no better than Harry.

"Cora, why are you doing this?" He asked, halting them in the middle of the small bland coloured lobby.

She stood there for a moment, thinking of how to explain herself convincingly and not allow her real fears to cloud her words too much. Another poster on the wall declaring 'Your Country Needs You!', finally gave her some inspiration.

"Do you remember what I said to you when we first met?" She asked gently, turning to face him as he stared at her with thought. "I said that the army would be greater for having you. You truly would be an asset to them and this country, Steve. I have no doubt about that."

"Cora..."

"And it's what you want the most." She interrupted, "Regardless of my feelings, you should strive for it."

"And how _do_ you feel?"

She sighed, raising a small smile to her lips, "I want you safe. But I want you to be happy even more. Your heart calls for you to serve, and I will stand by you."

Steve could have cried with joy in that moment if he had allowed himself. Of course, he would have never lived down that embarrassment. She truly was something special.

"Besides," She added, nodding at a faceless image of a saluting soldier that was mounted on the wall. "I think you would look rather good in uniform."

Steve smiled, knowing full well that this must not be easy for her to do. And he adored her all the more for supporting him.

Walking over to the image of the trooper, he stood up onto the steel plate, triggering his head to pop up where the face should be... Except that only the top half of his face peeped over the soldier's collar, "If only I could grow a few inches."

"Hey." Called Bucky as he walked into the lobby, "Come on, you two. This is officially a double date now, and if you wander off it's kinda' missing the point."

Steve stepped off the plate, glancing at Cora for one last reassurance as his hands sunk into his pockets before he answered him, "Why don't you two go on ahead and we'll catch up later?!"

Bucky was silent for a moment, looking at his friend and then to Cora with a knowing glance of disappointment. She walked over to Connie to give them some privacy to talk, leaving him with an apologetic gaze. Bucky had hoped she would distract him, not encourage him to try again!

"You're really gonna' do this again?" He confronted Steve.

"Well... It's a fair, I'm gonna' try my luck."

"As who? Steve from Ohio?" Bucky retorted, beginning to lose his calm. "They'll catch you, or worse they'll actually take you."

Steve glanced down as he paused, trying not to be offended by his words and trying to think of how to explain this to him, "Look I know you think I can't do this, but..."

"This isn't a back alley, Steve, this is war!"

"I know it's war..."

"Why are you so keen to fight?" Demanded Bucky, trying to keep his voice down as best he could, "There are so many other important jobs!"

"What you want me to do?! Collect strap metal in my little red wagon?!..."

"Yes, why not?!"

"I'm not gonna' sit in a factory, Bucky." Said Steve, beginning to get exasperated with the argument, "Bucky come on, there are men laying down their lives! I got no right to do any less than them, that's what you don't understand. This isn't about me."

"Right." Bucky replied, completely unconvinced. "'Cos you got nothing to prove."

Steve saw him glance over at Cora who was chatting with his date. He knew immediately what Bucky meant, and deep down he couldn't deny it. He had always wanted to serve his country and help people, just as his father and mother had done, but since he met Cora and got to know her, he couldn't deny that he felt somewhat lacking in comparison. On more than one occasion he felt that he didn't deserve her, but he wanted to be able to, just as much as he needed to serve.

"Hey, Sarg'!" Called Connie, "We going dancing?"

Bucky turned with that usual smooth charm of his, "Yes we are."

Cora looked at Steve, wondering if perhaps Bucky had talked him around, but knowing full well that it wouldn't be possible to change Steve's mind with this. He was resilient to say the least.

Bucky turned back to his friend, his charm gone with a deep resigned sigh as he shook his head and began to back away towards the girls, "Don't do anything stupid till I get back."

"How can I? You're taking all the stupid with you." Steve retorted with a tease.

Bucky stopped dead at his jibe, a small smile playing on his lips as he walked forward to pull him into a brief brotherly embrace, "You're a punk."

"Jerk." Steve replied with a sigh, no malice in his voice, just aloof affection as he patted his uniformed friend on the back, "Be careful."

Watching Bucky walk away, he felt sorrow creeping back in, but he refused to believe that he wouldn't see his oldest pal again, "Don't win the war till I get there."

Bucky turned with a smile and saluted him, before marching over to his date.

Cora met him half way with an apologetic look, "I'm sorry..."

"It's okay." Interrupted Bucky, "It'll be a cold day in hell before he's taken as a soldier. I don't like to say it, but they just won't. He's only going to bruise his pride."

"I know. But we won't convince him otherwise." She replied, slightly mournfully for him, and partly feeling guilty for the relief at knowing he wouldn't to be able to succeed in being recruited. "Take care, Bucky."

He grinned before gently pulling her into a friendly hug, "Come here. Take care of yourself, and him for me."

"I will."

"Also... you do know you pretty much mean everything to him now, right?"

She smiled with a blush, pulling back to look at him at arms length but having no real response for him.

"Don't break his heart, okay?" He asked gently.

"Never." She replied, "Bye, Bucky."

"See ya', sweetheart." He smiled, quickly and politely kissing her hand before walking over to his waiting date, "Let's go, babe. They're playing our song."

"Bye, Connie!" Cora called, giggling as she waved frantically in reply, scurrying away into the crowd.

Taking a deep breath for courage and resolve, Cora turned and walked back into the lobby where Steve waited with a smile, his hands still dug into his pockets.

"What was that about?" He asked with amusement.

"Just saying good bye." She replied, purposely leaving out the details to save his feelings from both being hurt and embarrassed. "So... I guess you should get your forms."

"I guess so." He said, his smile melting away with the seriousness of the moment, "Thank you for sticking with me. Not many dames would do that."

"You're welcome." She smiled softly, though it wasn't reaching her heart that was hammering against her ribs.

After a moment of silent reflection, both looking at one another for strength, Steve finally offered his elbow to her. With an inconspicuous deep breath, she took his arm to escort him towards the recruitment desks.

* * *

Cora sat tensely on the bench, playing with her fingers and tapping her heeled shoes on the floor as she waited for Steve to reappear. She knew that she should be more confident as it was nigh on impossible for him to actually succeed in enlisting, but she couldn't help being afraid for him. He was so sweet and little, she knew that he wouldn't last his first fight if some lunatic actually passed him for service. Hell, he may not even last the rigorous training.

"Cora."

Her head snapped up at the gentle voice, secretly sighing with relief as she saw Steve plodding towards her with his hands in his pockets. At seeing his confused expression, she quickly got up and walked to him, quietly thanking god that he wasn't a soldier now. She was sure that his look was one that didn't mean success. Though the guilt of thinking such things gnawed at her heart, but she pushed it aside with the certainty that he would remain safe.

"What happened?" She asked, her grip tightening a little on her purse.

As he stopped in front of her, Steve didn't answer right away, nor did he look at her. He looked down, and then over his shoulder, then down again, always with a befuddled creased brow and words seemingly on the tip of his tongue.

"Come on, Steve." Cora pressed, forcing a smile even though her fears for him were clawing back in with every second of his silence. "Don't keep it to yourself. What happened?"

"They passed me." He said, finally looking at her. The disbelief was steadily draining from his blue eyes, and instead it was being replaced with excitement, a smirk beginning to tweak at his lips. "I'm to report tomorrow morning."

His three small words silently ripped at Cora's heart, though she contained the despair to hide it from him. He looked so happy to finally be a soldier, and as much as she wanted to object and march in there to demand they reconsider, she didn't want to sully this for him. Being a soldier was so very important to him, and she had encouraged him to keep trying. She was partly to blame for this, and she couldn't go back on it now.

"That's..." She began, swallowing the upset that was beginning to tighten her throat so she could push some joy into her voice instead. "Incredible, Steve. I'm so happy for you!"

Wrapping her arms about his neck, slightly having to bend her knees because of her heels making her a little taller than him, she scrunched her eyes to restrain the tears that wanted to betray her true feelings. How was he going to survive out there? How was she supposed to let him go?

Cora felt his warm hands wrap comfortingly around her waist, his palms pressed flat on her back and his face buried into her hair and shoulder. She had to stay strong for him, she had to be his support no matter how much it tore her apart. He needed her to be a reason to survive and push on no matter what, and she would be that for him without hesitation or second thought. It was all she could do now: Believe in him, and pray that he would come back to her.

"Thank you." He said, his voice slightly muffled.

"We should celebrate." Cora broke away quickly before the moment could make her crumble to pieces, instead grabbing his hands with forced happiness for him, "Let's go dancing!"

Steve laughed with slight embarrassment, looking away a little in that sweet way she had come to be very fond of.

"I would love to, but..." He hesitated, his cheeks turning a slight pinkish hue.

"What is it? Don't tell me you can't dance." She said playfully.

"Haven't had much experience, no."

"Why?"

"Well... girls tend to not want to dance with a guy they might step on." He said, his jaw slightly tensed in defence of obvious past rejections. "Then the war started and it didn't seem that important anymore. Figured I'd wait."

"For what?" She asked curiously.

"The right partner." He replied, still gently holding her hands, though his nervous nature around women wouldn't let him look her in the eye at that moment.

"Well?" She asked with a gentle smile, bowing her face down and to one side to make him look at her and not his shoes.

His wonderful blue eyes immediately snapped to catch hers and a smile grew across his lips at her question. Her thumb softly brushed over his fingers, and he responded by caressing her delicate knuckles with his own thumb.

"Yes, ma'am." He said, purposely using the sweet repetitive answer that she found so endearing from the first evening that they met, and he knew that she enjoyed it. It had almost become a symbol of their bond.

"Great." She smiled, letting go of his hand to move to his side. He responded the same way as always, by stuffing his hands into his pockets and offering his elbow, which she accepted with both hands as she grasped her purse. She was going to truly miss his nervous quirks. "I know a place we can go. Forward march, soldier."

* * *

Steve held open the wood and glass door for Cora, the sound of live popular music immediately coursing from inside the bar. She smiled at his manners and walked in ahead of him, taking in the instant warm atmosphere. Rounding the distorted glass partition with Steve close behind her, she smiled at the sight of her favourite dancing spot. The large wooden floor was crowded with dancing couples swaying and twirling to the band that played in the corner, a sweet sea of ordinary guys and soldiers with their sweethearts or new acquaintances.

A long bar ran the entire length of the left wall, disappearing around a corner towards the back that she knew led to the seating and smoking area. The décor of wooden panels and deep red walls always felt comfortable to Cora, put her at least almost to spend time here.

"Welcome to O'Reilly's!" She shouted back to Steve over the music. He smiled brightly.

"I like it!" He shouted back, making her giggle.

Steve politely extended his arm forward, allowing her to walk ahead of him. Making her way to the bar, she began to unbutton her wool coat now that she was warming up quickly.

"Brian!" She called, leaning over the dark wood of the bar. She waved her hand to try and get one of the barman's attention, "Brian!"

Finally, he caught the sound of his name and the most imposing barman immediately rushed over with open arms and a welcoming smile. He was very tall and stocky, much older than Cora but not yet greying.

Flipping up the end of the bar top, he surged out to scoop her into a bear hug, pulling her up onto tiptoes with his enthusiasm. Steve couldn't help but feel a little envious, even though they were obviously only friends.

"Oh my girl!" Exclaimed Brian, finally letting her stand. "Where have you been? We've missed you."

"Around." She replied with a slight laugh, standing back slightly to allow Steve to step forward a little. "This is Steve."

"Good to meet you, Sir!" Hollerred Steve, extending his hand for a courteous shake.

"Likewise, son!" Brian replied, grasping his hand and giving it a good shake that could have dislocated his shoulder.

"He's the owner of O'Reillys."

"Though I keep hoping to retire every year!" He exclaimed jokingly.

"Would you mind putting my things behind the bar, Brian?" Asked Cora.

"Of course of course."

Finally removing her tan coat, she revealed a navy tea dress that flattered her figure wonderfully. Steve smirked as he took in the sight, wondering if there was ever a day that she didn't look amazing.

Cora handed her coat and purse to Brian gratefully, motioning for Steve to do the same. Caught off guard, having been a little focused on Cora, he quickly shook out of his beige jacket and handed it over as well.

"Thank you, Sir!" He called with a nod of his head.

"Anytime. Can I get you two a drink? On the house." Brian offered as he folded the garments and placed them in a cupboard beneath the bar.

"Thank you. The usual, please, Brian."

"Oh...erm..." Steve hesitated, unused to such a warm welcome. "A scotch, please."

"Coming right up. Take a seat and I'll bring them over, sweetheart!"

"Thanks, Brian." She said with a grateful smile before turning to Steve, "Follow me!"

Cora led the way alongside the bar, carefully dodging the dancing couples and those camped on the bar stools. They managed to find a small lonely table in one corner, away from most of the smokers and intensity of the band, and Steve dutifully pulled out her chair for her as he had always done. She smiled as she sat down, trying to fight back the sorrow that this might be the last evening they spent together.

"So," Said Cora, knocking herself out of her bad thoughts as he sat down opposite her. "You're finally going to be a soldier."

"Yeah." He replied, looking down at his hands as he leant forward on the table, "Though I'm not entirely sure how I managed it."

"Well what happened?"

"Same thing as always. I went in, I filled out the enlistment forms and had my physical exam. But then a German scientist came in, and he knew that I had lied on my enlistment details, but he said he was more interested in the five attempts to..."

"Five?!" Cora interrupted, grinning with amusement.

"Or so." Replied Steve with a coy smirk.

"Then what happened?"

"He asked me if I wanted to kill Nazis. I said I didn't want to kill anyone, I just hate bullies." Cora smiled fondly at that answer. "Then he said he could give me a chance, and he stamped my forms."

"That's it?" She asked confused. "He didn't say what the chance involved or anything?"

"Not really. But I wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to finally serve."

"I know." She said, her brow creased with concern.

"What is it?"

"I just... I would have liked to know what you're going to have to do. You were exempt for a reason. Why did they suddenly decide to let you enrol?"

"I don't know, but I'll find out tomorrow."

"Here we go!" Boomed Brian as he suddenly appeared next to them, making them both jump and sit up straight as he placed a glass of white wine and a scotch on the table.

"Thank you." Said Steve, "Appreciate it."

"Any friend of Cora is a friend of mine." Brian replied, smiling at her before he left them alone again.

"Well..." She said, picking up her cold glass and pulling another smile over her lips to hide her worry. She had become quite skilled at it over the years. "To a chance."

Steve smirked, tapping his glass against hers in a toast, "A chance."

They sipped their drinks whilst looking at each other over the rim of their glasses, each trying to figure out what was happening in the others head.

"Mmm, that's good scotch." Said Steve, trying to keep the air pleasant, even though he knew a cloud of sadness hung above them both. His training was going to keep him away for a while, weeks or even months. There was no telling when he would be able to come back to see her. But he needed to serve his country, he had no right to exempt himself from the war for any reason. Even though a part of him now wished he could stay with Cora, the greater part of himself kept telling him that he would be fighting _for_ her.

"Make the most of it, trooper." She smiled. "You won't be able to have another for a while I think."

"True. So, how do you know Brian?" Steve asked, deliberately trying to move the conversation away from any hints of their impending parting.

She smiled, taking a sip of her wine, "Well, when I moved here I tried to get back into the world on my own. First time I came in here... I sort of bit off more than I could chew."

Steve smiled as she giggled, "What happened?"

"I had a lot of attention that I just was not ready for. And some did not take no for an answer."

"Ah." He smiled, looking at his scotch as he fondly remembered the first evening they met, "That seems to happen to you a lot."

Cora laughed quietly, covering her eyes with embarrassment, "Does seem that way. Perhaps I should carry a sign, or mustard gas."

Steve chuckled, taking another sip of his drink, "So did Brian help you out?"

"Yes, fortunately. He physically kicked two out of the door and then invited me over to the bar so he could keep an eye on me and we could chat. He's a good friend."

"Sure seems so. To kicking out the jerks." Said Steve, lifting his glass for another toast.

"To kicking out the jerks." Cora giggled before they both drank the salute cheerfully. "So, you've never danced...?"

Steve's smile spread wide as he leaned on the table and his head dropped with embarrassment and nerves, "I knew this was going to come up soon."

"There is no escaping it, soldier." Said Cora playfully as she got up out of her chair and straightened her dress, "I intend to be your first dance before you get shipped off."

"You realise I will probably step on your toes, right?"

"I'm sure I'll survive. Now stop stalling."

With a smile, a sigh and another glug for courage, Steve was led out onto the wooden battlefield. Fortunately some slow music was playing, so the winding path to reach a clear spot on the dance floor wasn't so dangerous.

As they stood opposite one another smiling, Cora realised something that might make the situation a little bit more difficult for him and it needed to be corrected, "Hmm."

"What?" Asked Steve, not sure if he should be taking her hand yet, even though his was shaking slightly.

"Nothing. Just need to make a slight adjustment." She replied before she lifted her feet one at a time to easily undo the straps over her instep, and then slipped out of her cream shoes to stand in her stockings on the cold floor. Picking them up with a smile, they dangled innocently from her left fingers over her shoulder.

They were now the same height.

He grinned with his hands on his hips as he marvelled at her thoughtfulness, watching as she wiggled her painted toes at him on the floor.

"You didn't need to do that." Said Steve, now looking at her bright smirking face.

"I know, but now we're even and you have a better chance of standing on my feet."

Steve laughed, wondering how he was going to get through this without looking like a complete uncoordinated putz.

With a deep breath, he inched forward and reached out for her waist, looking down at his feet again to avoid hers. He smiled when he saw her step forward to meet him, her hand with the shoes coming to rest on his slight shoulder blade, and her delicate soft hand easing into his clammy palm.

Slowly, Cora began to step from side to side, swaying to the music to get him used to the movement. Then, carefully, she began to ease them both around so that they started to turn as well. It was the simplest dance she knew to get him started, and to be honest, she didn't care that he was a little rigid. She was just happy to be dancing with him.

"See?" She said, "You can dance after all."

"Not sure if I could class this as dancing." He said, noticeably focusing on his steps, "I would call this more of a slow waddle."

"Oh really?"

"Well, not you, of course." He said quickly, looking up to her and then away again with nerves as he realised that he may have just insulted her. "I mean you're dancing beautifully. I'm just kind of rocking like a statue."

Cora smiled at his nervous habits and babbling. He was still so unsure around women, even around her sometimes.

"That's because you're not relaxing."

"I think if I relaxed I would either trip you up or my legs would turn to jello. Possibly both."

Cora laughed again, "I'm going to miss you."

That caught his attention, his sight immediately snapping up to meet her suddenly saddened gaze. He hadn't seen her so upset before, her eyes seemingly wetter than usual as she looked away from him, obviously trying to control her emotions. It took only a second more for the first tear to escape through her long lashes and roll down her smooth cheek. Steve acted on instinct, his hand flashing from her waist to catch it and brush it away from her skin. She looked back at him then, silent and flushed, her eyes shining with both future loneliness and current fondness.

"Me too." Said Steve, regrettably moving his hand back to her waist, though he would have liked to have held her cheek.

"Promise me you'll stay safe." She asked, taking a soothing breath as their slow comforting dance continued regardless. "And you'll write to me every week."

Steve smiled, though he was just as heartbroken at the idea that he would be leaving tomorrow.

"I promise." He replied, trying to keep her happy and hopeful even though he had no idea what turmoil could be ahead of him. "And I'll write you every day if I can."

She giggled, looking down at her feet now to try and calm herself and force back the need for tears. She needed to be strong for him.

"And I promise that the moment I get leave, I will come back here and take you dancing again."

Cora smiled, looking into his cool blue eyes, "Take me waddling?"

"Yeah." He chuckled.

"You have a deal, soldier. And I will hold you to it even if I have to follow you into combat with a bayonet of my own."

"Yes, ma'am." Steve grinned.

They had stopped dancing now, even though the slow charming music still played and filled the atmosphere. Their eyes were locked, fixed on each others gaze, and neither quite knowing what that look entirely meant or how strong it felt to the other.

Steve's palms were getting clammier, and his heart beat was quickening with each passing second staring into those starlight eyes. If he had more confidence to do so, he would have stepped forward and kissed her without regret. But alas, he didn't have much experience with that kind of passionate romance. To be brutally honest, he didn't have much experience with_ any_ kind of romance. And as much as he wanted to try, to not waste the moment, he was fearful that he would do something stupidly clumsy, or just be really bad at it.

However, as if answering his silent prayer, to his utter surprise Cora took one small step closer and gently pressed her full lips to his. Steve's heart kicked as his eyes slipped closed to enjoy the softness and warmth, unmoving, just relishing in the contact as she did the same. Slowly, they parted again, his lips sticking ever so slightly to her deep red lipstick before he opened his eyes to meet hers once more, her face still so close that their noses almost touched.

"You okay?" She asked softly, wanting to know if she had just made a mistake or if in fact he had been wanting that kiss too.

Steve stood still, almost dumb struck, "Yeah, I'm... I'm..."

Cora giggled at his nervous reaction, feeling the dampness of his palm in hers and relieved that he didn't seem repelled by her boldness. Carefully, she rested her forehead against his, a smile growing on his features as he moved closer, inevitably stepping on her toe for a split second.

"I'm so sorry." He exclaimed, trying to pull away to see if she was alright, but she merely followed him with a chuckle until they were close again with their foreheads resting against each others with affection.

"It's alright." She said, "I'll survive."

Her hand tightened on his, her expression becoming more serious. Steve instinctively held her closer.

"Just make sure that _you_ do." She finished.

"I promise, Cora." He replied, his sense of courage kicking in and not wanting to waste what little time he had with her, he gently slipped his hand from her waist and tilted her chin up to look at her properly. "I promise you another waddle."

She laughed, a small tear escaping her dark lashes again for him to catch before slowly reaching in and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.


	5. Chapter 5 - Broken

**Hey Folks!**  
**Took a little longer to write this chapter, so sorry about that. I hope the wait didn't torment you.**  
**Since the last chapter was posted on Feb 26th, this story has had over 600 more views! WOW! That is incredible and inspiring, so please do keep showing the love for Cora &amp; Steve. **  
**Please don't forget to review, follow and/or favourite!**  
**Here we go...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 5 - Broken.**

Steve stood waiting in his newly pressed Army uniform, his equipment and rucksack hanging on his back and his side cap squeezed nervously in his hands. Around him were the other new recruits, kissing and holding their loved ones in a farewell as the grumbling trucks that would be taking them to the base idled behind them.

Cora had promised to be there to see him off, but there was only ten minutes left before he wouldn't see her again for probably a fair few months. Still, he waited diligently, his eyes on the horizon that led to the entrance gate of the main recruitment office. It was here that all new recruits were shipped off to their prospective bases.

After Steve had walked Cora home last night and they had shared another nervously sweet kiss outside her apartment door, it was all he could think about. Again. So much so that he had almost missed acknowledging the morning roll call because he was so immersed in the memory. It had quite possibly been the greatest night of his life: His lifelong dream to serve had finally come true, he had finally danced with the right partner he had been waiting for, and he had finally kissed the woman of his dreams. More importantly, she had kissed him back, and that was astounding to him. Yes, it had definitely been the greatest night.

"Alright, boys, say your goodbyes and load up." Shouted an army officer.

Steve looked at him in horror, then looked back to the empty horizon. Where was she? Was she alright? Could she... maybe... regret last night and wouldn't be coming to see him off?

As the weeping women of the soldiers began to say their goodbyes and be escorted from the Army property by sympathetic female staff, Steve's heart began to sink with doubt. Cora wasn't coming. Had he done something wrong? Had she changed her mind about supporting him as a soldier? Would he see her again?

"Rogers!" Called the officer, making him jump and turn towards him. "In the truck, private."

Steve immediately walked up to him, looking up into his firm face that stood at least half a foot taller than him, "Can I please just get a few more minutes, Sir?"

A strong hand clamped onto Steve's shoulder, "I'm sorry, son, but whoever you're waiting for, it doesn't look like they're coming. Take it like a man."

As the officer walked away and the last of the recruits were climbing into the trucks with Steve mournfully at the back of the line, the panicked calls of a woman and loud honking caught his ears to look to the horizon. He could barely believe his eyes as an army Jeep was speeding across the tarmac towards them, a woman's waving arm flailing in the air to get his attention as she stood up in the vehicle. As the Jeep got close enough, Steve's grin grew wide as he immediately left the line to go to her.

"Wait! Don't go yet!" She yelled as the Jeep came to a stop and she quickly slipped out of the side to hurry towards the oncoming recruit, wrapping her arms around him the moment he got in range and dropping her purse in the process, "I'm so sorry!"

Steve didn't care that she was late, just that she had made it and that it seemed like she didn't regret anything after all. That was what mattered to him, and the grin on his face showed that.

"I'm so sorry!" She said again, partially out of breath, "The traffic was ridiculous and then the jackass on the gate wouldn't let the taxi through. I was lucky that the officer driving the Jeep was there to bring me in otherwise I would have missed you entirely. I'm so sorry I'm late."

"It's okay, Cora." He chuckled, pushing her back to look at her flustered face. "I have to admit it's funny when you swear like that."

"Well he really was." She laughed, slowly getting her breath back as she took a step back to look at him. "The uniform suits you."

"Thanks." He replied, "Though it was a struggle to find anything remotely my size."

Cora smiled, determined to keep her tears locked away this time as she ran her fingers across his pressed collar, "Must have been fate then."

There was a comfortable silence for a moment as they just looked at each other, both trying to memorise their faces and expressions until the next time when they could hopefully be reunited.

"I wasn't sure if you were going to come." Steve admitted, a little ashamed for his thoughts.

"Why?" She asked with concern.

"I don't know, I thought maybe you... maybe you had changed your mind. That last night..."

"Was wonderful." Cora interrupted with a smile, locking away the true extent of her feelings when he had been passed to serve. "And I don't regret any of it."

"I can see that now." He smirked, "Though I do regret one thing from last night."

"What's that?"

"Stepping on your foot."

Cora giggled and held his free hand, "I forgive you considering it was your first dance."

"It wasn't the dance, it was the kiss. Kind of scrambled all traces of coordination I had."

"Well you had better remember that for next time then."

"Rogers!" Shouted the officer again. They both looked at him as he stood with his hands on his hips and a cigar in the corner of his mouth, "You got thirty seconds, son, before your ass is sat in that truck, understood?"

"Yes, Sir!" Steve answered, looking back at his girl and secretly thrilling at the fact that she now was. She was _his_ girl.

"Yeah, Rogers, kiss your mama good bye!" Yelled one of the soldiers from the truck.

Then some more troops started in.

"What's the matter, boy, did you forget your underpants?"

"How 'bout you write to me instead, sweetheart, I'll make sure you get something worth waiting for!"

"Hey!" Shouted Steve, spinning around to face the soldiers who were hanging out the sides of the truck, "Watch your mouth!"

"Oooooh, little boy is playing tough around the dame." Replied the smug soldier who looked like your typical half wit trooper, "What's wrong? Scared she'll find a real man whilst you're away?!"

At that last part, Cora immediately grabbed Steve's lapels and brought him in for a deep passionate kiss that silenced the troop's snide remarks, except for a few impressed wolf whistles from others. Steve was entirely taken by surprise, so much so that he dropped his cap he was so lost in stars.

Cora slowly parted from him, her lips sticking to his slightly in that way he enjoyed before he opened his eyes and blinked away the fuzziness of his brain.

"Erm...Wow." It was all he could say.

"Well it certainly got the point across." She smiled cheekily, amused at the smudge of colour over his lips now.

"What point was that?"

"That I already have a soldier worth waiting for."

Steve smiled again at her sweetness and tenderness, and even her mischievous nature that crept up from time to time. His smile softened with fondness at the glistening of her eyes and the warmth of cheeks, and at the smooth waves of her autumn hair and the soft fresh scent of her perfume. He was going to miss her terribly.

"Times up Rogers!" Called the officer.

Cora quickly straightened his lapels and his tie, "I have something for you."

She crouched down to pick up her discarded purse but Steve beat her to it and picked up his cap on the way. Handing the leather purse to her, she dug in it and retrieved a single folded strip of white thick paper. Closing the purse again, she carelessly dropped it on the floor and quickly unfolded the paper to show him. Steve immediately grinned as he saw the photo booth strip from Coney Island, their laughing, smiling and playing faces caught forever on the glossy paper.

Cora carefully tore it in half, making sure to stay between the two sides of the pictures, and handed one half to Steve. He accepted it gratefully, grinning from ear to ear before she embraced him tightly once again.

"Rogers! Now!" The stern officer ordered.

She released him, pressed her lips to his briefly and stepped back to avoid the temptation to not let him go.

Steve quickly put on his side cap and reassuringly smiled at her, "I'll write you as soon as I can get a pen."

"I know." She replied, ringing her fingers with restraint.

Steve slowly began to walk backwards, keeping his eyes on her until he had to turn and jog to the back of the truck. One of the soldiers grabbed his hand and thankfully helped him in to sit on the end of the bench.

Even as the tailgate was secured, he kept looking at her and she did the same with him, unable to break, not wanting to waste a second at looking elsewhere.

As the truck began to pull away, Cora walked after it, not wanting to let him go yet. The driver of the Jeep eventually came running after her to stop her from going any further into the Army property. Steve stared as he moved further and further away from her, watching helplessly as she finally fell apart and began to cry into her hand.

* * *

Cora quickly clicked open the door lock to her apartment with the key as she balanced a paper bag of groceries on her hip and her art satchel over her shoulder. Squeezing into the short hallway, she swung the door closed behind her and hurried into the lounge, not waiting for the safe click of the lock before she dropped the satchel on the couch and rushed to the kitchen counter, emptying the contents of the grocery bag to hunt down one particular item: The letter.

Finally, she found the small white envelope fallen to the bottom of the brown paper bag, having slipped down when she had retrieved it from her mail box in the lobby and in her excitement dropped it in there to hurry upstairs to the apartment to read it. The return address on the back of the envelope was all she needed to know to cause her heart to thunder blood into her veins.

Cora quickly opened up the letter with a wide excited smile, pulling off her wool coat at the same time as she moved to the couch, all the while beginning to read the wonderful script on the page. Sinking into the soft cushions, she fell into the fondness of his words:

_My dearest Cora,_

_I apologise for not writing to you sooner. Though I tried as best as I could, the training here has been kind of demanding, leaving me no time to get my letter sent out to you. Although, it has meant many evenings of me adding to it, so it's now become more of an essay or a multi-letter._

_Never-the-less, I hope that my scrawled pages find you well and happy. It's only been a week, but it already feels like a month away from you. I've gotten so attached to spending my time around you that without it my days seem to be missing something. _

_How are you? How is the painting coming along? (I wish I could be there when you finish it.) Tell me everything of your days, no matter how boring you may think it is. _

_Training has been hard, but no more than I expected really. The other troops are... well, like other troops, but there is a nice woman here at least. Though I wouldn't want to get on her mean side after I saw her punch one of the recruits square in the face for being a jerk. She's English too, actually, and an agent for the division so she'll be record the progress of all those who have been put forward for the special project that I was specifically enlisted for, though they still haven't actually told me what it involves yet. So far it's just been drills, fitness, assault courses... All of which I seem to be awful at but I refuse to give up on regardless. I've waited my whole life for this chance. I know I can be better. I will be better. _

_Dr Erskine who gave me this opportunity is here too, watching over the candidates. I like him, he has a good heart and a warm hope for the country's future. He says that this project will be a turning point for the war, and strangely enough he seems increasingly convinced that I'm a prime option to be chosen. Even though I may have made a fool of myself by jumping onto a dud grenade. Actually, thinking about it, I probably shouldn't have told you that part, but I can't exactly cross it out now without raising your suspicions. I'm sorry, Cora, please don't worry. It was a spur of the moment thing. I promised you I would come back, and I always keep my word._

_I will admit that it still confuses me how I managed to deserve such an amazing woman like you. You're the kind of dame that I thought I could only dream about but never be good enough for. Yet somehow you manage to see past all my shortfalls and kiss me till I see the stars. Oh and I still think about those stars often, by the way, hoping that I will get to see them again soon. (That was very mischievous of you with the mouthy troops, by the way!)_

_Every night I look at our pictures from Coney Island and the handkerchief you gave me the first time we met, and no matter how tough the day has been here, they always manage to patch me back up. I keep both hidden inside my helmet during the day as a reminder that you're with me and supporting me. It's almost like you're on the side lines urging me to keep going, in a way._

_Dr Erskine will be choosing the candidate tomorrow. If it's me, I will try to write and explain everything I can as soon as possible. If he doesn't, then I guess I may be coming back for that waddle I promised you, I don't know. I guess we will just have to wait and see._

_Please take care, Cora. Stay healthy and happy.._

_I miss you, and though I'm not authorised to tell you where exactly I am, know that I'm never far away from you._

_Yours always,_

_Steve._

Cora smiled tenderly, her eyes misting with joy and love as she placed a soft kiss on the letter, knowing that he had been holding it only a short time ago. Then she gazed lovingly at the small beautifully sketched drawing that he had included in the envelope, showing them both together, embraced in a dance with their foreheads resting against one anothers. It was a bitter-sweet memory of their last evening, but one she cherished and wouldn't trade for the world.

Taking a deep breath to be released in a sigh, she softly ran her thumb over the image of Steve.

The scientist, Dr Erskine, would have chosen the candidate for this special project by now. Was it Steve? And if it was, what could it possibly be? Something that would be a turning point for the war, he had said. Whatever it was, it unnerved her and filled her with a protective instinct that was hard to control and keep down. He was so sweet and slight and unique, she didn't want to lose him so he could be another bone-head soldier or expendable.

Taking another deep calming breath, knowing that Steve would never be that way and that he had given his word to come back, she silently swore a little promise of her own: If anyone risked his life needlessly or broke him in any way, there would truly be hell to pay.

Standing from the couch, she quickly walked over to the sideboard, opened one of it's draws and removed the writing paper and a fountain pen. After gently dropping the needle on her gramophone to wave the air with soft stylish jazz, she sat down again to write.

* * *

Steve sat at his dressing room table, the snug fit of his patriotic costume clinging uncomfortably to his new physique as he eagerly tore open the envelope that had just been handed to him. He only had ten minutes until the next show but he couldn't wait. The mail service had been inconveniently slow lately, but he knew without a doubt who the letter was from and he needed her words more than ever.

Since the experiment that had altered him irrevocably, and since Dr Erkine's death, he had not been able to confide in anyone. He was still trying to comprehend everything that had happened, still trying to tediously hold onto the crazy ride that had suddenly catapulted him from a scrawny private in the army to a super soldier celebrity. He just wanted to serve his country, but this wasn't what he had in mind. All the songs and glamour and autographs to promote defence bonds just wasn't him, but there was no-one who he could talk to about his concerns. He wouldn't even be able to tell Cora what had really happened since it was deemed classified.

At least her letter would give him a sense of normality, a stable unwavering hand to reach for until they could be reunited and somehow figure out what the future would be now.

Leaning on the dressing table in the glow of the mirror lights, he unfolded the smooth paper and smiled brilliantly as he saw her beautiful script dancing across the page. He had never seen her handwriting before, but it was certainly as elegant as he had expected, and the paper itself seemed to have a cloud of her perfume which he breathed in with a sigh of relief. It was like fresh air to him after weeks away from it. This was the first letter he had received from her since their parting, and he was going to savour this small connection they still loyally hung onto over the distance.

_Dearest Steve,_

_I can hardly begin to convey my relief at finally hearing from you. I was getting so worried, and yes I know what you would say. You would tell me that there is no need to be concerned, no need to fret over you. However it's easier said than done, so you will just have to cope with the fact that I will remain a nervous ninny until you return._

_As for my life back here in New York... I'm doing fine considering our situation, and resolved to keep myself occupied as I continue with my studies. The Heroism painting was finished yesterday, and it was well received by Mr Clark. I have actually started a new painting at home now. I wish you could see it, but hopefully you won't have to wait too much longer. _

_Not much else has been happening to tell you the truth but if you insist on hearing about all the trivialities then hear it goes: I wake up, go to class, run errands and then sleep, mostly doing all of it as I wonder what you could be doing at that moment. I haven't been out in the evening since you left, though I will admit that I have had invites from a few men which I politely declined. And I hope you don't mind, but I had to tell one eager gentleman that I was married. It worked to dissuade him._

_I'm sorry to hear that the training is proving difficult for you. I have heard that the military training is rather vigorous, but surely we would want it no other way. There isn't a soldier alive that hasn't benefited from the tough love, I'm sure. It will keep you kicking, so hang on in there. I have complete faith in you. Just do your best, then push yourself a little more so you are certain you gave everything your best shot. That way you'll regret nothing and you can hold your head high._

_I'm glad there is a nice English agent there to keep your spirits up. And also that she is rightfully representing our country back home by not mewling to any soldier's rudeness. Just try not to fall for her English charms, trooper._

_Right, I'm sorry but I can't stall it anymore... You threw yourself onto a grenade? If you could see my expression right now, you would feel the full force of my scolding. Even if it was a dud, you didn't know that at the time, and you still willingly handed over your life so easily! You promised that you would come back, and I'm hoping for you to be in one piece so please don't do anything so reckless again. I worry about you enough without having to add more grievous notions to my over-imaginative mind. _

_This letter would have taken a fair few days to arrive I believe, the post is going slowly recently, but I think Dr Erskine must have made his decision by the time it reaches you. Well... what happened? Did they choose you? If so, what have they signed you up for? What does it involve? _

_I apologise for all the questions, I'm just not used to all the secrecy. Please let me know everything that is going on as soon as you're able. I know you may not be able to divulge every detail, but I would appreciate a little insight into what they're getting you into._

_Now as for the absurd idea that you don't deserve me... I have never met a man more deserving of happiness, and if I can somehow play an integral part in yours then I am truly the luckiest woman alive. Do not sell yourself so short, my darling. You clearly don't see within you what I do. I thank all the stars in the heavens for bringing you to me._

_Please write to me soon, or come back to me if you can. I miss you terribly._

_Yours Always,_

_Cora_

_P.S. Thank you for the drawing, I adore it. It now has pride of place at my bedside._

Steve sighed with tenderness, a sparkling grin spreading across his face as he looked at the red lipstick kiss that she had placed at the bottom of the page, her mischief and sweetness warming him to the core. She may not be physically with him but he could almost feel her embrace around him, giving him courage and faith that all of this would work out for the best.

"You're on in five minutes, Cap." Called a stage hand around the door of the small dressing room.

"Thanks." He replied, watching until the stage hand disappeared. Then he carefully refolded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope before placing a quick kiss on the paper and tucking it inside his costume to be close to him for a little longer, next to the handkerchief and photos.

He would work on his reply straight after the show, though he wasn't entirely sure how or even if he should tell her about his miraculous transformation. It might be difficult to convince her, and to be honest he didn't want her to think of him as a dancing monkey if she saw the comics or posters or newspapers, knowing that the uniformed celebrity they were about was actually him. He wanted to make sure that she knew he was still himself... Just a little taller now.

Perhaps he would wait and surprise her in person to take her dancing. Steve smiled at the enjoyable thought that she wouldn't have to take her shoes off again. Though he couldn't promise he wouldn't step on her toes. A super soldier he may be now, but Fred Astaire he was not.

* * *

Cora sipped at the hot tea she carried from the kitchen, padding her bare feet across the wooden floor of her apartment to sit on the leather couch and curl her legs up to be comfortable.

The light in the lounge was dim, only a few lamps switched on to create a soothing atmosphere as the gramophone played a gentle big band instrumental. The evening was quiet, the curtains still open to let in a small amount of moonlight.

She smiled fondly as she reached for the small end table beside her and picked up the opened envelope to read the latest letter again. This was the third time she had read it since it had arrived that morning, but she couldn't deny that it seemed to have a calming effect when she did, as if soothing her loneliness. It had been over a little over three weeks since he had left, and this was only the second letter she had received. Though he had promised to write to her more often, she could only assume that the postal service and his training were delaying his correspondences. She could forgive him, of course, as long as he was alright.

Unfolding the pages, she nestled herself into the couch and rested her tea on the thigh of her fitted skirt as she began to read again:

_My dear Cora, _

_I'm sorry to worry you so much with my lack of letters. The postal system seems to be getting slower, and as I try to wait for your replies before I send you another, our contact is starting to get more and more stretched out. I think maybe I will start to write to you more regardless, to help keep you from being a 'nervous ninny' as you put it. I do love your English quirks. I could almost hear you say that when I read the letter you sent to me. _

_Oh and no, I won't fall for Agent Carter's English charms. She's a great dame, head strong and kind, and reminds me a lot of you. I think that fact alone shows who rules my heart, so there's no need to worry._

_So what did Mr Clark say about the painting? Did you get a grade for it yet or was it just practice? And what's this new one that you've started?_

_As for keeping yourself occupied whilst always wondering what the other could be doing, I know exactly what you mean. There's barely a waking hour that you don't cross my mind, and many a dream that you visit as well. It's hard being away from you, but I just have to keep reminding myself to push forward and keep going, and that I will find my way back to you somehow, no matter what I have to do._

_You're right, Dr Erskine did choose a candidate ,and yes... He chose me. I can't go into detail about what the programme was but it is sort of complete now, I guess. Unfortunately, the good doctor had an accident during the process and didn't make it. There was nothing we could do, it happened so fast. Before he died he made me promise to remain a good man, and he is now another reminder of why I serve, and why I have to carry on doing this. He believed in me, just as you do, and I won't betray that faith by walking away. I won't let either of you down. However, I will admit that their idea of me serving my country isn't exactly what I imagined, but I won't give up if it means I can make a difference in the war effort. _

_It's difficult to try and explain without telling you classified information, but I should tell you that I am a little different now. Please don't take that wrongly though, I'm fine and I'm still the same nervous clutz that stepped on your toes, but now I'm... different. I guess it would just be easier if I waited till I see you, then you'll understand more easily. _

_I'm hoping to get some leave to come back to New York really soon. It won't be much, just a couple of days probably, but it's still time to spend with you if, of course, you would want to spend it with me? I could take you waddling again, and you won't have to take off your shoes this time._

_When I read the part in your letter about you being the luckiest woman alive and how you thank the heavens, I will admit that it thrilled me because you had just put everything I feel for you into words. I could never have imagined finding happiness like the kind I have when you're holding onto my arm as we walk, or when you smile at me, and especially when we share a kiss. Forgive me if this sounds too forward or bold after only knowing you for a little over a month, but I truly feel as if you are the only dame for me now. _

_I will come back for you, no matter how long it takes and no matter how far I have to travel to be beside you. So keep smiling; You light up the world when you do._

_Stay safe, and I'll see you soon._

_Yours now and always,_

_Steve._

_P.S. Sorry about the grenade incident, it was sort of a test. Won't happen again._

Cora gently placed the letter on her knee, a smile playing on her quivering lips as she wiped a tear from her cheek. She was unsure whether she was blissfully happy from his romantic confessions, or if she was heart wrenchingly lonely from his absence. No matter how many times she read the letter, it seemed she would always have the same reaction.

However, even though she was overwhelmed at his affections, she still couldn't hold down her curiosity and concerns about what had happened during the programme that he had been chosen for: What sort of accident could have killed Dr Erskine? Why was it so secretive? What had they done to him to make him different? What was he doing to serve his country that seemed to make him so unhappy?

There were so many questions that she knew he couldn't answer. Of course, that wouldn't stop her from asking when he finally came back. She took comfort in that, knowing that she just had to be patient for a little while longer and she would be holding him once again.

Placing the letter tenderly on the side table, she uncurled her legs from the couch to lean forward on her knees, thinking fondly of her soldier as she sipped her tea and looked over at the easel that stood in the corner of the lounge by the window. She smiled as she looked at the new canvas that stood proudly on it, the outline of a certain handsome trooper artistically composed across the white space as he stood in his military uniform with his hands in his pockets and that sweet crooked smirk on his lips. She was looking forward to seeing him again.

The splintering crash of her front door shot her to her feet, dropping her tea to smash on the floor as she hastily scrambled over the coffee table and backed up against the far wall in fearful shock. A mass of soldiers in black surged into the apartment and advanced on her with electrified weapons, knocking over and breaking some smaller pieces of furniture carelessly to block her in with a trained tactical formation.

Her heart was pounding in her chest, her hands shaking with terrified confusion as she desperately tried to control the urge that was beginning to bubble to the surface from her fear. They were shouting at her, repeatedly demanding that she get on her knees. And when one of them knocked over the easel and obliviously stepped on the portrait of Steve, her restraint snapped.

* * *

It had been more than two weeks since Steve had heard anything from Cora. He knew that the postal service was slow and that she was in the middle of her university studies, but something didn't feel right to him. It felt like it had been too long for a reply from her, and his intuition told him that something was wrong.

So, yesterday evening after his latest patriotic show, he told Senator Bran that he would be returning to New York for a few days on personal business. Steve didn't give him a chance to argue it.

Now as he stood in front of Cora's apartment door in his crisp army uniform, he couldn't help but feel nervous. His stomach was tight and somersaulting, his back muscles were tensed and his mouth was dry. He didn't know how she was going to react to his new look, whether it would be welcome or whether she would realise straight away that it was him and that he was now Captain America from all the media. Could she think the worst of him due to all the stardom?

The logical side of him knew that she wouldn't be so quick to judge. Sure he was now six foot two, two hundred and forty pounds of muscle, and an American star, but he was still Steve Rogers first. His heart knew that she would see him as Steve Rogers first and foremost, not as a uniform, but he still couldn't help his nerves.

With a deep breath, he knocked on the apartment door and listened for activity. He knew that she wouldn't be at class today, so she would probably be home, running errands or with a friend perhaps. However, as she had just started a new painting at her apartment, he had a feeling that she would be here rather than anywhere else.

As he waited though, Steve heard no response to the taps on her door. He was about to knock again when he glanced down and saw the door knob: It was shining brass, and brand new, along with the door jam. Suspicion began to creep into his stomach and he began to fear the worst.

Carefully grasping the door knob, he gave it a firm twist and heard the locking mechanism snap. Fortunately, his two hundred and forty pounds worth of muscle was not for show.

Slowly, he slipped inside and closed the door behind him before cautiously stepping towards the lounge. It was silent and still, gloomy with the curtains closed which was strange in itself as it was midday. Why were the drapes still shut? And more importantly, where was Cora's scent? The last time he had been here the rooms flowed with the soft alluring perfume she wore, but now he could barely smell it as a few dust motes swirled in the small crack of light that filtered between the curtains. To him, the room felt like it wasn't lived in anymore and that thought clenched at his fear. If she wasn't here, then where did she go? And why leave without a word?

Moving to the windows, he wrenched back the curtains to reveal the familiar apartment. It was just as he remembered it, every piece of furniture where it should be, except there was a very thin layer of dust on everything now.

Walking to the open bedroom, he found the bed was not slept in, the Coney Island bear still propped up on the pillows and the drawing he had sent to her was in a frame on the side table as she had said. He checked the wardrobe and found most of her clothes still hanging, with only a few empty hangers on the rail. After a quick search of the room, he couldn't find a suitcase. Had she left her apartment? And if so, where had she gone? It looked as though she had in a left hurry. Why?

Moving back to the lounge, he searched everywhere for more clues but didn't really find anything else to help him. Everything was as it should be except for the missing clothes and case, and the obvious signs of neglect to her home.

Looking to the easel where her new painting should have been, he saw her familiar wooden box of brushes and paints, but there was no canvas. Why would she take the painting and no equipment? This made no sense to him, and it was making him increasingly more worried.

* * *

"Brian!" Steve called over the bar at O'Reilly's. It was quiet as it was still early afternoon, only a few customers enjoying a peaceful drink at the various tables.

Steve had already tried looking for Cora at the University. At first the old pleasant lady on the front desk didn't recognise him now that he had bulked up, but eventually he convinced her that it was indeed him that had called on Cora with a bunch of flowers that day.

When he enquired as to her whereabouts, she had informed him that Cora hadn't been to class in quite a while and they had assumed she had gone home, as it wasn't uncommon for foreign students to suddenly do so.

Now he was trying the only place left to him: O'Reilly's. He didn't know any of her other friends or how to get in touch with her family in case she had rushed home for some reason. He just hoped that wherever she was that she was safe.

"Brian!" He called again, grabbing the attention of the heavy barman.

Steve watched as the owner evaluated him for a moment before wandering over to the end of the bar, obviously trying to figure out how he knew him.

"Can I help you, Sir?" Asked Brian, leaning on the wooden hard top.

"Have you seen Cora?"

"Who wants to know?" He retorted, looking at Steve's army uniform and becoming defensive for his friend's welfare. It wouldn't be the first time she had trouble with soldiers.

"It's Steve." He replied, "I came in here with Cora a while ago? We sat over in the corner. I was much shorter and skinny."

"You're _that_ Steve?"

"Yeah."

"You've surely filled out." Brian said with surprise.

"Have you seen Cora?" Steve urged.

"No, she hasn't been in here since she was with you." He answered, his thick brow pulling down with worry. "I assumed you were both together somewhere. She okay?"

"I don't know, I can't find her anywhere. I lost touch with her about two weeks ago and the University hasn't seen her for a while either."

"You tried her apartment?"

"I did and it looks like she hasn't been there for at least a few weeks. Some of her clothes are gone along with her suitcase and a new painting she was working on."

"Maybe she went to see a friend out of town?" He suggested, stretching for an explanation that wasn't filled with bad news.

"Possibly but it's unlike her to not write to me." Steve said, getting more and more anxious. "And if it was an emergency why did she take the painting?"

"I have no idea where she could be then." He replied, equally worried. "Did you call the cops?"

"No, but I can do better than that." He answered, turning to leave in a hurry, "I just wanted to check with you first."

"Hey hey!" Brian called, making him stop in his tracks, "Let me know she's alright when you find her, okay?"

"I will." Steve replied, anxious to get going. "And be sure to tell her that I'm looking for her if she turns up here."

"You got it."

* * *

Completely bypassing the objections of the secretary, Steve marched in Senator Bran's lush office, startling the smartly dressed man who immediately sat up straight at his desk as he placed his pen down.

"Ah, Captain. What an unexpected surprise." He greeted pleasantly.

"I'm sorry for the interruption, Sir," Steve said but without any remorse as he stood before the dark wooden desk. "But I need to ask an urgent favour of you."

"Urgent?" Bran reiterated with concern as he stood up from his desk to talk to the super soldier eye to eye. Honestly, he didn't really like the manner of his entrance, nor his sudden departure to New York, but the Captain brought in a lot of funding so he was willing to let some things slide. "By all means, what can I do for you, Son?"

"You have connections, people who can find others quickly. I need your help to find a woman called Cora Elizabeth Pritcher. She's missing."

"I see. And this was the reason you went to New York?"

"It was, Sir. We keep in touch frequently, but I haven't heard from her in two weeks and no-one has seen her. Her apartment doesn't looked lived in for some time either."

"And she couldn't have just simply gone out of town to visit friends?" Bran offered calmly.

Steve shook his head against the suggestion, beginning to get exasperated by the same suggestion from so many people as if he wouldn't have thought of it already, "I know Cora and she wouldn't have gone somewhere without letting me know that it might affect her letters. Also the door knob to her apartment has been replaced and there are signs of a forced entry."

"Alright." He said with a reassuring smile and a pat on Steve's shoulder, before he returned to his seat behind the desk to pick up his pen again, "I will get my people on it right away. You said her name was Cora Elizabeth... ?"

"Pritcher." Steve answered, watching as the senator wrote down all the details on his fine paper, "She's originally from England but moved here a year ago to study art at the New York University. Like I said, Senator, she wouldn't have left so suddenly without letting me know what was happening."

"And considering how close you two seem, am I right to assume that she's your girl, Captain?" He asked, stopping writing to give Steve a small smirk that grated on his nerves. It wasn't any of his business and it wasn't relevant for finding her, but he didn't want to cause offence by stating so. It might hinder how quickly she's found if he upset the Senator.

"Yes, Sir." He answered instead with a slightly tight jaw.

"Okay, Son, try not to worry. We'll find out where she's gone. You just carry on as normal and I promise you that I will have news in a few days."

"Thank you." Steve replied.

The idea of doing the garish shows whilst she could be anywhere, hurt for all he knew, made him feel dirty and sick to his stomach. How was he supposed to act so chipper and patriotic in front of the audience whilst his world hung in the balance, threatening to collapse?

"I actually think you have a show tomorrow night, so you'd better get going, Captain. You've got a long way to travel." He urged, not wanting the soldier to miss a money making performance.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you again for your help." He said, resisting the need to grab the jerk by the collar and punch his lights out. Money was all he cared about, and Steve knew that the only reason he was helping him was so the Captain would continue with the performances.

"I'll be in touch." Bran smiled, returning to his paper work, "Would you mind closing the door on your way out, Son."

Gritting his teeth, Steve saluted as was the required professional gesture at his dismissal, then marched out of the office, rage and anxiety gnawing at his gut for supremacy.

* * *

Sitting mournfully at the lit up dressing table back stage, the distant sounds of the current stage act drifting on the still air around him, Steve looked at the photographs of himself and Cora as he regretfully waited in costume for his show's time slot. He was so tired, having barely been able to sleep the past few nights.

It had been four days since he had gone to New York to find her, and still he had heard nothing from Senator Bran. He had hoped that perhaps the mail service had simply postponed a letter from her that would explain everything and put his worries to rest, but nothing had arrived.

He wished he could do something other than just wait but he was helpless, having no other contacts that could assist him or clues of where to start looking for her, and it made him angry. This may have be the second time that he wasn't there for her when she needed him, and he hated himself for it.

Steve had reread her letter to see if there was any indication that she could be leaving or if something was wrong, but there was nothing. And he couldn't stop his self deprecating side from wondering if perhaps he had come across too strong with regards to his feelings in his last letter, and she had perhaps left without a word as consequence. Of course, that theory was nigh on impossible for him to accept. Cora was not heartless by any means, and he was certain she felt just as strongly, so it made no sense for her to just cut all ties to him.

Her sudden departure only made some sense if there was something very wrong. Maybe something that she wanted to protect him from, and so didn't mention it in her letter? However, that would suggest a darker side, and he just didn't see that in her at all. In his eyes, she was good, wonderful, pure-hearted. Whatever this situation was, Steve was certain that it wasn't of her doing.

His feelings were strengthened when taking into account the replacement door knob and repair to the door jam. Of course, she could have lost her keys and had to break her way in, but it was unlikely. She wouldn't have the strength to kick down a thick wooden door like that, and besides she would have more than likely just called a locksmith. The possibility of a burglar didn't ring true either as nothing was missing except for some clothes and her painting.

And why was the painting gone? It seemed like such a strange item to take with her without any equipment to work on it. None of it made sense, and all of it pointed to something sinister in his mind.

Steve gently placed the photograph strip on top of her letter and picked up the crumpled cotton handkerchief, playing with it in his fingers. The keepsake no longer held her scent as it once did, but at least the memory of that night would never fade. Even though the handkerchief was scrunched with creases and slightly off colour due to being hidden inside his helmet during training, this small square of fabric still remained dear to him. The embroidered initials reminded him of their introduction, the small faint smudge of red lipstick that he had wiped from his cheek was still present, and the blue paint smear that he had cleaned from her forehead still stained the cotton. So many wonderful memories in such an every day item. He only hoped now that these wouldn't be the only memories he could have of her.

Steve sighed with tired worry, fitting the handkerchief into his strong hand to hold it tightly in his fist, pressing his head anxiously against it, "Please be alright, Cora."

A few short coughs caught his attention, making him swivel in his chair to politely greet whoever was trying to get his attention. When he saw it was Senator Bran, he leapt to his feet immediately.

"Have you found her?" Steve demanded eagerly, ignoring all pleasantries for the moment for the sake of his own sanity.

The Senator stepped forward until he was in front of the Captain, standing still and silent for a moment in the low light, the bulbs of the mirror illuminating him. He wore a dark suit, his hat clasped in front of him with what looked like a newspaper behind it, just peeping over the hats brim. Steve didn't like how serious he looked, and it made his muscles knot and his fingers tremble with horrid dread.

"Yes." He answered simply, "We found her."

"Where is she?" Steve asked, his grip on the cotton handkerchief tightening with every second of the Senator's sombre mood, "Is she alright?"

"Perhaps you had better sit down..."

"Where is she?" He demanded with authority, not caring that he had just yelled in the face of a high ranking official.

With a reluctant sigh and a small nod, Bran handed the folded newspaper to the Captain. Steve was almost reluctant to accept it, his heart on the verge of convulsing, but slowly he took the rough paper and tentatively unfolded it.

"I'm sorry, Son." Offered the Senator mournfully.

Steve's heart split down the centre as he saw the headline of the article: **Two Dead As Car Swerves From Road**. Below the title were two small photographs: One of an ordinary older man, and next to him a picture of Cora's smiling face.

He could barely breathe, his lungs constricting painfully. His chest felt like it wanted to implode with shocked pain and grief as he stared at her face on the page. It wasn't true, he tried to persuade himself, it was a mistake... It wasn't her, it couldn't be her!

"She was the passenger in that guy's cab." Bran explained gently, "For reasons we don't know, they swerved off the road just outside New York state... and crashed down the hill into a lake. She was identified with dental records and I.D in her possession."

Steve was gritting his teeth against the pain of her loss, both of his hands trembling the newspaper until it began to tear little in his fierce grip as he listened to the Senator's explanation. He couldn't bring himself to read the article, being fixed solely on her photograph instead.

"If it helps at all, she died instantly when the car rolled down the hill, before it hit the lake. She didn't suffer."

He could feel his eyes beginning to blur and sting with unshed tears, his joys wrenched from him cruelly as he knew that he would never get to see her again. He would never speak to her, never hold her hand, never kiss her, never tell her what she truly meant to him. She was lost to him.

"Also... just so you don't think she was running away or something..." Bran added, making Steve look up slowly with a warning as if scolding the official with his glare at suggesting he could think so badly of her, "They found a flyer in her purse of one of your shows. And it makes sense when coupled with the road she was on. She was on her way to see you, I think."

The newspaper ripped in half, no longer able to stand the tension of the Captain's despairing hold. She had known he was Captain America? She had recognised him and was coming to surprise him at one of his performances. As sweet as the gesture was, Steve couldn't stop the guilt and blame that flared in his stomach. If he had just told her what he had become, or if he had gone back sooner, then she never would have tried to find him. She would have never gotten into the cab that led to her death.

"I'm sorry, Captain." Bran said softly, holding Steve's shoulder gently in a show of condolence, "I'll find out for you when the funeral will be."

Steve could only manage to nod slightly in response before the Senator took that as his leave, giving him some privacy to grieve in the quiet of the theatre.

He stood shaking on his own, unable to stop the thoughts of her last frightened moments as they flashed through his tormented mind without mercy. Slowly, with her photo in one hand and her handkerchief in the other, Steve absently sat in the chair again.

His heart was shattered but somehow managed to hammer in his aching chest, rushing a mixture of emotions through his veins from remorse and denial to grief and regret, until it briefly settled on disbelieving and wild rage. Dropping the page and handkerchief, he grabbed the dressing table and flipped effortlessly with a cry of despair, the mirror and bulbs shattering to leave him in more darkness.

Steve stood panting with the pain, guilt and confusion until finally he broke apart. His legs gave out and he fell back onto his behind as silent sobs wrenched at him, his face reddening and contorting with the strain of his lament.

Leaning on his bent knees and grasping his hair, he bowed his head with torturous misery as he openly wept for Cora and the promise he would never be able to keep.


	6. Chapter 6 - Compass

**Hey Folks!**

**Sorry for the delay!  
It's been very hectic lately, lots of things happening that were important for a deadline and on top of that I went and got writer's block. Bleh!  
Anyway, here is the next installment for you all, I hope you like it!  
Also... WOW! I'm still being blown away by the support. Please do keep it up! Follows, Favourites and Reviews are always welcome!**

**Here we go...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 6 - Compass.**

_**Classified Location, 2013**_

Captain Rogers was stunned with trembling disbelief as he stood at the base of the dais steps, looking into the glass cylinder at the familiar woman that was strapped into it under sedation. There was no logical way that she could be there, breathing and alive in front of him. She had been identified as deceased all those years ago, he had seen the newspaper with her picture... And he had attended her funeral in the pouring rain. He had even visited her grave whenever possible until he was taken by the ice. And when he had eventually been found, one of the first things he did after adjusting was to go back to lay flowers on her grave and to clear away the leaves from her head stone, which he continued to do every chance he could get.

How could she be here now after seventy years?

"Cora?" He spoke incredulously, not expecting an answer but needing to release any doubts into the atmosphere.

"You know her?" Natasha asked, surprised by his proclamation as she quickly looked at him and then back to the sleeping hostage, trying to figure out their connection. Judging by Steve's expression, they had been close once upon a time.

Steve didn't respond to her question, silently trying to understand how it could be at all possible that the woman before him was Cora Elizabeth Pritcher. _His_ Cora. She looked just how he remembered, barely aged at all. If this _was_ her, then how was she still young after all this time? He himself had only managed it because he had been frozen, his new metabolism and body keeping him protected from the cold and the time that had passed him by. But Cora... She couldn't have survived, she wasn't like him. How had they done this? How could this be her?!

"I'll see if I can get the pod open." Said Natasha, hurrying over to the computers.

Steve knew she was talking, but he was barely registering her words whilst his stare was fixed on Cora, taking in every detail of her in search of some sort of answer or confirmation that he wasn't imagining this. He had wanted her to not be dead so many times, dreamt of her returning to him so many nights that he wasn't entirely sure if this was real, and he needed some sort of explanation or assurance that he hadn't lost his mind.

She was clad in a tight black body suit that ended at the knees and had no sleeves, allowing access for the I.V needles that were inserted into the inside of her elbows, as well as the multiple wired sensors that were stuck to her body that were obviously monitoring her health. She also had a small metal disc about the size of an old penny attached to her temple and a seemingly matching collar around her neck that had no apparent purpose or function, but they still angered the Captain. It was almost as if she was treated like a slave or a dog, permanently tagged and brought to heel by her sadistic master. Steve was not an overly violent man without proper reason, but that collar alone made him want to snap in half the person responsible for it.

Steve quickly shook away the rage, reminding himself to remain composed, to focus on her as she was now and not what they had done. They wouldn't be doing it to her again, and she needed him to be here for her without any thoughts of vengeance. There was no telling what state of health she would be in, but he knew she would need his aid and kindness most of all. Though she looked physically fit and unharmed, her mind might be another matter. After all those years of experimentation, there was no telling what the damage could be.

She certainly looked like Cora, her elegant form and features perfectly akin to his memories even though she was without the 40s style now. Her auburn hair was still long and waving in small tendrils from being damp, and her cream skin still looked soft and silken beneath the small beads of dew that rested on it. She was very real to him. As impossible as it should be, he was nigh on positive that his Cora lay before him.

Steve didn't wait any longer, his thoughts snapping to take action and get her out of her prison instead of allowing his speechless shock to hinder her rescue further. Snatching up his shield as he leapt up the stairs, he mounted the Vibranium disc on his forearm and smashed it precisely into the locking mechanisms of the glass cylinder, causing a loud clashing ring to echo in the lab with each strike which startled Natasha for a brief second.

As the locks bust apart, he swung the shield onto his back and pulled open the heavy glass door with a strained heave, fighting the mechanisms to slide it around.

He paused for a split moment, his deep emotions struggling with his sense of rationality and duty as he was mere inches away from her now. The mission wasn't over, and he couldn't allow himself to become overwhelmed right now.

Carefully he began to slide out the needles from her arms, small trickles of blood emerging with each one before he moved to quickly rip away the sensor pads that were stuck to her skin, respectfully leaving the ones that disappeared beneath her suit to monitor around her chest, instead resorting to ripping the wires free from the sensors. After a moment of investigation, checking around the hateful collar and the temple disk, he could see no latch or join to remove them. They would have to remain for now.

Carefully gauging the best way to release her entirely from the capsule, he tore the leather straps from their fittings that were keeping her restrained. He started at her legs first, working up to her arms and head, his gloved hand gently cupping her face to lower it comfortably as her head lolled forward now.

Wrapping a strong arm around the back of her waist and holding her firmly against him, he wrenched the last straps apart that were constricting her chest and stomach, her limp body immediately falling into him to be caught now that she was free of her bonds.

With loving care, he reached down behind her legs and scooped up her knees before gently laying her down on the cold grated floor of the dais.

"Cora?" He whispered to her, his palm resting tenderly on her damp unkempt hair above her forehead.

She didn't respond, remaining entirely still and peaceful in her chemical slumber as he checked her pulse. It was steady and strong which helped to ease his worries a little. However, she was rather pale and held slightly dark circles beneath her eyes, her skin chilled to the touch and beaded with water as if she had been in cold water a moment ago.

"She won't be waking up for a while, Cap." Natasha called as she looked at the computer screen, "Looks like they keep her heavily sedated when she's not on ice."

"Not anymore they don't." He replied quietly, softly and discreetly brushing a thumb over Cora's pallid cheek, knowing now why she looked so sickly: She must have been recently thawed. So they had kept her on ice after all. But how had she survived that for so long? "How much longer with the data, Natasha?"

"A few minutes. A lot of the files are encrypted but I'm sure SHIELD can break it with a bit of time."

"Make sure you get it all. I want to know everything they've been doing to her..."

"I got it, Rogers." She interrupted, looking up with a reassuring gaze.

Steve nodded, trying his best to remain professional but his heart was constantly trying to overrule his head.

So she had been frozen for all this time, after being secreted away with great care and anonymity for the experiments. But why? Why had they chosen her and gone to such great lengths to fake her death, which was so obvious to him now?

He had never been able to see her in her casket, under the excuse that the car accident had left her severely injured. And the painting... It had disappeared from her apartment but it hadn't been found in the cab either. He had stupidly let it go instead of investigating further. If he had, then perhaps he would have seen through the ruse but he let his grief taint his vision. He had unknowingly abandoned her when he could have saved her from all those years of torment.

His guilt twisted at the idea of her begging and pleading against whatever experiments they had been doing to her, crying out for him to help her and knowing that he would never come.

His hand began to tighten on the grated floor next to Cora, his fingers having unconsciously slipped into the gaps and started to crush the metal into his fist from shameful rage.

"Ready, Cap." Said Natasha, unplugging the data drive from the computer and storing it safely in her utility belt which knocked him from his painful thoughts.

"Davis?" Steve said through the secure channel, releasing the contorted grate as he watched Cora breathing steadily.

"Here, Cap."

"ETA on the med team?"

"They've just arrived."

"Tell them I'll be bringing the candidate right up and she'll require medical attention asap." Steve instructed, not going to take anything for granted regarding her health. He wouldn't know exactly what they had done to her until they cracked the encrypted files, but for all he knew she could have endured the worst of tortures, and he needed to make sure she would recover both physically and mentally.

"Affirmative." Davis replied obediently.

Slowly, as if handling a new born or a priceless gift, Steve slipped his arm beneath hers to slide around her back and gently sit her up, lifting her head to rest against his shoulder. Scooping up her legs beneath the knees, he cradled her gently and with weightless ease, carrying her protectively against his chest.

Though she was pale and weak, she still held the same elegant beauty that had haunted his memories since the day he had lost her. He had never allowed himself the hope of being so close to her again, and now that he was against all odds, all he could hope was that this was a blessing and not a curse for her. That this was his second chance to keep his promise, and to repent for his mistake in leaving her alone back then.

Descending the steps of the dais, he saw Natasha's intrigued and questioning expression as he passed her, heading for the door and the medical team on the deck. He knew that Natasha had seen his reaction, that was certain, but she obviously didn't know the details of their relationship. However, Steve wasn't sure if he should explain how close he was to Cora. After all, his gut still told him that Fury was hiding something about this mission, and he didn't want to give him an excuse to remove Steve from this due to his feelings for her. Although, come to think of it, he doubted there was anyone within SHIELD brave enough (or stupid enough) to try and keep him away from her. Still, he didn't want to give them any reason to try. He would be damned if he allowed anyone to take her again, now that she was his world once more.

* * *

_**Washington DC.**_

The room was quiet and cool, the only sound being the rhythmic beats of the heart monitor as Steve diligently sat beside Cora's private hospital bed. It had been two days since she had unimaginably re-entered his life, and she still hadn't opened her eyes or showed any sign of waking to ease his anxious heart and tired mind.

He hadn't slept, unable to bring himself to rest in case it all turned out to be a cruel dream sparked by the loneliness that crept up on him from time to time. And he wasn't ready to let her go yet if that was the case.

There hadn't been a day outside the ice where she hadn't graced his thoughts and made him miss her terribly, unable to heal the wound that she had left behind. Now that she lay in front of him, her chest rising softly with each glorious breath, he wasn't going to take this miracle for granted. He was going to be there when she woke up, and he was going to be there when she needed him the most. Just as he should have been.

Occasionally Natasha would join him for a while to keep him up-to-date with everything they found in the salvaged data from the ship's computers, but most of the files were still heavily encrypted and were going to take time to crack. So far they had only discovered some trivial statistics that had no meaning without context, and that she had been mainly frozen during her incarceration, thawed only for short periods of time for more tests of varying degrees of inhumane science. They didn't even know who had ordered the experiments, as it was very clear by the technology and secrecy they had available that they were not amateurs in the slightest.

Despite all of this, however, one thought about the rescue mission kept rolling uneasily through Steve's head: The candidate he was sent to retrieve was a mutant of super-human power, and was important enough for them to go to great lengths to claim her by faking her death so elaborately.

Was it true? Was there something hidden within her that he never knew about? And did she know about it herself, and had purposely hidden it from him? The answers and information were still frustratingly hidden in the locked files. For now he would have to try and be patient for the truth, but the waiting was utterly torturous, and he found he couldn't stop his curiosity from delving into his thoughts and memories.

If she _was_ somehow different, then it would mean that Cora was not all that she seemed after all, and she could have been hiding secrets from him back then if she knew of this power she held. It would mean that he didn't know her as well as he believed he did, and that gnawed at him with insecurities.

Regardless of his foolish doubts, Steve refused to think she was false. He would hold onto his faith in her, no matter what. She had never given him any reason to doubt her character, and by god he wasn't going to start now. Though he still questioned whether the current situation was real, he would never distrust Cora's soul. She had been responsible for some of the greatest moments in his life, and he wasn't going to let go of them for any reason.

Still, it was all just so confusing and difficult to accept that she was alive. He had gotten so used to his grief for her, so accustomed in the hopelessness of her loss that he wasn't sure how to proceed. He didn't know what to expect when she woke up, or even how to act around her. He didn't know what she was capable of doing, what they had exactly done to her in the experiments or if they had succeeded in their goals. There was so much chaos in his head that it felt like his skull wanted to split in two whilst his heart was leaping for joy.

However, through the haze of all the uncertainties and shock, there was one small glimmer that would not be denied in him: Steve was desperate to hear her voice once again. Just one simple word would be enough to unburden his soul and brighten his world, even if she just said 'Hello'.

Quietly, Steve dug into his jeans pocket and fished out the small brass compass that he always kept with him. He was fortunate that the rescue crew who found him in the ice had also salvaged the metal keepsake because inside was something that he cherished dearly.

Clicking open the dull golden lid, he pulled it back and smiled fondly at the strip of black and white photographs that were nestled firmly on the inside: Their Coney Island pictures, the half she had given to him when they had last seen each other. They had been his constant source of courage for him in the modern world, a reminder to keep going because she had faith in him to make a difference, and he wouldn't let her down.

A spike in her audible heartbeat caught his attention, his gaze snapping up as he carefully put away the compass and stood up to move to her bedside, her heart monitor jumping for a second time.

Suddenly, Steve caught the tiny movement in his peripheral vision as some of her fingers quivered. It was only slight, barely noticeable and easy to miss if he weren't so focused on her every move.

His sight was honed onto them as if willing and pleading for them to twitch again. As her heart skipped once more, her fingers slowly curled in and out, as if trying to figure out where they lay.

Steve couldn't control the bright hopeful grin that sprang to his lips as he looked back to her face, "Cora? Can you hear me?"

Gingerly her eyelashes fluttered by jittery fractions until her soft dusky lids parted with a sleepy heaviness. Steve released a held breath as he smiled, finally seeing those beautifully hypnotic eyes that he had missed so much. Though they were unfocused and still grasped in a weary haze, they glistened with earthy tones that reminded him of so many moments they had spent together, especially the blushing glances they had shared.

Her eyes slowly blinked a few times, her hands flexing experimentally as her legs fidgeted a little beneath the hospital blankets. That seemingly innocent act furrowed his brow with thought and sparked his curiosity: If they had kept her mostly sedated in the capsule for the past seventy years, then her leg muscles should have atrophied from lack of use. The fact that she could move her legs easily, told him that they had kept them working, possibly taking her out of her glass pod to walk for reasons that he wouldn't know until the files were cracked.

Cora mewled ever so slightly as she steadily began to awaken, her heart monitor returning to a relaxed rhythm as she became more and more aware of the world around her. However, her sights did not notice Steve it seemed, instead simply gazing around in an unaware state somewhere between reality and dream. He assumed that it was the remnants of the drugs which had been pretty powerful to keep her solidly unconscious for so long. He just hoped that they hadn't caused her any harm.

"Cora?" He asked gently, trying to remain soft and friendly as he stood beside her bed. However, her reaction was not what he had hoped.

Her eyes that were weary before, suddenly sharpened at the instant of his words, flashing to stare at him in shock and... fear. Her heart monitor began to race, the beats increasing with her breathing as she cautiously pulled herself further up the bed and further away from him.

Steve didn't understand, couldn't comprehend at first why she was acting so terrified of him, but then he realised that she might still be groggy and confused from the tests and drugs. He should have expected this sort of reaction really.

"It's alright, you're safe." His hands raised to try and reassure her, try to calm her nerves, but it had the opposite effect.

Cora threw herself out of the bed, wrenching the I.V needle painfully from her hand as she stumbled, though she didn't seem to notice any pain. The heart monitor began to blare out with a continuous alarm from being disconnected from her finger as she haphazardly backed away from Steve towards the curtained window on the other side of the room. Her legs were unsteady and she was obviously disorientated, She looked almost reminiscent of a deer awaking from sedation.

Pressed against the bland cold wall in her loose hospital gown, bare footed and with her long auburn hair falling passed her face in disarray, she stared at Steve with bewildered terror, obviously trying to figure out what was happening and where she was.

Carefully, as if trying to calm a frightened doe, Steve walked around the bed and slowly stepped towards her, his hands once again raised so she could see he wasn't holding anything that could hurt her.

"It's alright, just stay calm." He cooed, "You're safe, Cora. No-one is going to hurt you, I promise."

Her balance faltered for a brief moment, but she caught herself against the wall and pushed away the dizziness that had evidently taken hold. Steve desperately wanted to go to her, to help her, but he knew that a sudden act like that could make things worse. He had to be patient, let her accept his help on her own terms.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said gently, stepping forward again which she instantly registered, "It's just me. Please let me help you, Cora."

There were a few possibilities of how he thought she may react to him at that moment: Relief, fear, reluctance... But never had he entertained the idea of what was to come.

Her earthy eyes were beginning to mist and redden, her silken English voice shaking ever so slightly when she finally spoke in quiet overwhelmed tones, "Who are you?"

Steve's face and hands slowly dropped with shocked comprehension. Standing still with the blaring of the life support echoing in the room, he stared at her with stunned heartbreak in his blue eyes as he realised the dreadful fact of her revival: She didn't remember him.

Suddenly the door flung open to allow nurses to rush into the room in response to the life support alarms. Steve whirled immediately to tell them to leave, but the damage was already done.

Cora slammed back against the wall in startled terror as the window beside her and those to the adjacent hallway exploded into scattering shards, making the nurses duck and scream. Steve instinctively covered himself from the glass for a split second, just before the hospital bed and equipment were viciously catapulted from the floor to smash into the far wall over the heads of the staff.

Steve witnessed the entire violent scene happen before his unbelieving eyes with no visible explanation as to what had caused it. He flashed back to look at Cora, seeing just how shocked and terrified she was as she stared at the chaos with panting breath.

Suddenly, Cora screamed with pain which was quickly stifled as her eyes scrunched closed and her contorting body fell to the floor in convulsing agony, her teeth gritted against the blue electric shocks that sparked across her which emanated from the metal collar around her neck.

He rushed to her side, unsure of what he could do to help her but unquestionably needing to try. He slid to the floor beside her, reaching for her shoulders to ease the wrenching motions of her tormented body, but the moment his hands touched he felt the harsh static jolt him as well, forcing him to pull away instantly.

He watched helplessly, trying to think of how he could make it stop when she suddenly ceased fitting, her violent tremors ending to let her body slump into unconsciousness once again as tearful trails flowed quietly over her heated cheeks.

Steve immediately seized her, protectively pulling her up to rest against his chest and search for the pulse in her neck as her head lolled back on his arm. He released his bated breath when he felt her heartbeat rushing through her vein, gathering her up closer to him to cradle her and brush away the hair from her face, a small rivulet of blood beginning to trickle from her nose. Tenderly wiping the blood away, he ran a finger over the metal collar around her neck and then the small disc at her temple with angry thought, his expression hardening with loathing for the devices and whoever had put them on her. He knew without a doubt that it was to blame for the torture he had just seen her suffer. The collar was a kind of restraint and punishment, an inhumane and cruel form of control placed on her by her captors who knew exactly what she was capable of doing and needed a safe guard to stop her from using it against them.

The small frightened chatter of the nurses caught his attention as they were grouped together by the door with a few armed guards who looked at Cora and the devastation of the room. The bed was a tangled and broken mess amidst the shattered glass, along with the fuzzing and sparking life support machines around it.

Steve didn't have to think hard to know what had happened, and judging by the way the guards kept flitting their wary sights towards Cora as she lay in his arms, neither did they.

Steve had been sent to rescue a mutant of super-human power, and Cora had just accidentally shown them what she could do.

* * *

Cora had been moved to a secure wing of the SHIELD headquarters following the extraordinary telekinetic display in the hospital room. It was a section of the building that had specially built cells for the sole purpose of containing those who may otherwise be too dangerous to be kept in regular jails.

Steve didn't like it at all. Against his objections and arguments about imprisoning her, Nick Fury had insisted that she be contained there, not only for her own safety but for everyone else's too considering her only form of control seemed to be the shock collar.

Steve had then demanded that the restraint be removed now that they knew it caused her immeasurable pain every time it was triggered, but Fury once again overruled him on the grounds that it was their only fail safe. Until she could convince him that she could control her powers, the collar had to stay on. Of course, that decision didn't sit well with Steve either, and the moment Nick was out of sight he had released his anger by punching through the corridor wall, much to the surprise of the people around him.

When the guards had walked into the new hospital room where Cora was being temporarily monitored and he was once again standing vigil at her bedside, the Captain had physically blocked their path when they had marched forward to collect her. Steve's expression had been one to make them all back down without argument. Reluctantly, Steve had then unhooked the heart monitor from her finger and scooped her up with her still wrapped in the blankets, mournfully marching to the transport downstairs that would take them to SHIELD HQ and her holding cell.

They had walked past her previous room which was in the process of being cleared, and the staff were being given the usual warnings over not disclosing any information about what had happened.

Cora was powerful without a doubt, but he still didn't see her as a threat. She was just frightened and confused. She needed support, not punishment.

Now as always, Steve sat diligently at her bedside, waiting once again for her to wake. He looked at the new restraints that now bound her to the bed, a vulgar copy of what she had been through for the past seven decades. It made him feel sick with guilt to see her subdued in such a way, knowing that he couldn't release her no matter how much he wanted to as he was certain they were under surveillance. He just hoped that it wouldn't frighten her even more.

However, as much as it pained him to see her so lost and confined, the feeling paled in comparison to the agony of knowing he was now a stranger to her. The way she looked at him now... She remembered nothing, seeing only a potential threat, someone who could hurt her. That alone broke his heart. Steve would sooner hurt himself a hundred times over rather than cause her harm, but she didn't know that anymore. What if she knew nothing at all, complete memory wipe that left only emptiness? How could he tell her everything that had happened over the years, and what they were to each other if she barely knew anything before the hospital incident? He couldn't. He was all too familiar with how it felt to lose everything you had ever known, and he was certain that no good would come of burdening her with the knowledge of her previous life.

So, after a lot of difficult soul searching, Steve had decided that he would just have to keep their past a secret, and hopefully with time, she would remember it all on her own. It was the only thing he could do now: Give her the chance of a life without mourning the old one. He would, of course, be there for her if she wanted him to be. He would not abandon her again.

He felt as if he had failed her so many times, whether from being weak or just absent. Never again. Steve would be her rock, her safety net, anything she needed him to be in order to cope with this alien life that had been thrust upon her without so much as an explanation. He would be her guardian through everything she would have to endure now that she was awake, including the future confusion and fear of the power she held if she couldn't remember it.

Judging by her reaction when her power had unexpectedly manifested, she seemed just as frightened and shocked by her actions as they all were, and that meant she didn't know what she could do. More importantly, it could mean that she didn't know how she did it or how to control it. And the data they had retrieved from the facility was still proving troublesome with the encryption, unwilling to give up any more secrets or hints of how to help her deal with her gift.

The thoughts of what she had done made him wonder about their past. Back in the day, she must have had a tremendous control to keep it hidden from him so successfully, if indeed that was what she had done. There was no way of telling yet if she was even aware of her gift when she was taken, but his gut instinct told him that she did.

Knowing that she was even more unbelievably unique during their time together, made him reminisce and search for any signs he had missed that could have pointed to what she was capable of doing. And that made him begin to rethink that night with the mugger: Steve had been knocked unconscious, and when he came to she said the guy had been scared away. What if he hadn't? What if she had fought back now that her date wasn't awake to witness it, and that was why she seemed so defensive when he questioned her about the money?

Had he been so blinded by her that he didn't see the clues of what she was? More importantly, if that had truly happened and she knew of her power, why had she felt she needed to hide it from him? Why couldn't she trust him?

A slight moan knocked him from his reverie, getting to his feet in anticipation as Cora began to rouse from her sleep. Taking a step back and a deep breath to settle his nerves, he tried to pull up a comforting demeanour, something that would put her at ease rather than making her want to flee.

As he watched and waited patiently, she gently began to blink, just like before, allowing consciousness to ease into focus with the steady beats of the heart monitor. However, it didn't take her as long this time to notice Steve's presence, and the beats audibly began to quicken as she stared at him.

"Hello again." He said gently with a small smile, his hands in his pockets with nervous habit, one hand grasping the brass compass for courage.

Cora didn't answer, instead she tried to move away just like before, but when she was halted by the tight restraints on her wrists and ankles, she began to panic. The heart monitor shot up into a dancing beat, her breathing quickening as she tried to struggle and pull against the bonds, straining against the straps with gritted teeth and desperate groans.

"Wait, don't..." Said Steve, stepping forward and placing a warm hand on her forearm.

She immediately froze and stared at his grasp, her sights then snapping up to his uncertain face as she seemingly tried to decide what she should do. If she truly didn't remember anything before waking in the hospital room, then this could possibly be the first time she had ever been touched to her knowledge.

Steve wasn't sure what to do. He had acted on impulse without thinking of the consequences, but as he looked back at her with a soft reassuring smile, her heart rate at least didn't seem to react badly to it.

"It's okay." He added slowly, "They're just for your own safety. Things got a little out of hand last time, and I don't want to see you hurt again."

Cora didn't respond, her breathing and heart still racing and obviously frightened.

"I'm not going to hurt you, but you need to stay calm as best you can. It's important." Said Steve, slowly removing his hand and stepping back to take his seat again in the hopes that the act would ease her anxiety a little, giving them some distance and placing her physically higher than him, "Do you remember what happened before? When you panicked?"

Her deep breaths began to tremble, her eyes becoming wetter as she slowly nodded in response. Even though she was still terrified and on the brink of breaking into tears, Steve felt relief at finally having a reply from her.

"I'm not sure, but I think it happens when you become suddenly scared. So you just need to relax, and I promise I'll explain everything. Okay?"

"Who are you?" She whispered, bordering on a whimper through her refined English accent.

"My name is Captain Steve Rogers." He replied with a gentle smirk, trying his best to not feel the emptiness of their disassociation.

However, her brow immediately contorted with instant thought, her gaze bowing with some sort of recollection that threatened to build Steve's hopes, but it quickly disappeared.

"Where am I?" She nervously asked next, her eyes darting around the room as she noticed that it was very different from the last time she had woken up. This one was harsh and intimidating, a fully encased metal cell with a full mirror on one side and bright lighting from the ceiling.

"We had to move you to somewhere safer after what happened." Steve said, biting back the anger he really felt for her being brought here like she was a prisoner. "You're at SHIELD headquarters now."

"SHIELD?" She questioned.

"It's..." He began, a small wry smile playing on his lips at the idea of trying to explain what they actually did. Perhaps the details should be left till later. "It's complicated, but the basics is that SHIELD monitors potential threats in the world, and when it's needed we deal with them. We're the good guys."

"And am I a threat? Is that why you're keeping me here?" She asked timidly, her earthy eyes locking on to the restraints as she tried to lift her arm to emphasise her question. Her sadness and uncertainty cut him deeply.

"No." He replied, his brow furrowed with pity at the very idea that she could think of herself as dangerous. He knew the bonds weren't helping to convince her. "You're not a threat."

When she didn't respond or look at him, he knew that she didn't believe him at all. Of course, actions speak louder than words, and all she knew was that she had somehow caused chaos and was now imprisoned against her will. It was a harsh beginning to a life restored, and not exactly a basis for trust.

With a comforting smile, Steve slowly stood and walked to the end of the bed where he began to unbuckle the straps on her ankles. He could feel her surprised apprehensive gaze following his every move. As he then went to each side of her bed in turn to remove the bonds on her wrists, Steve knew that he was going to cause a lot of tension and arguments with Fury by what he was doing, but in all honesty he could barely give a damn. Right now, his only concern was her.

Every time he got close to undo her restraints, she shifted slightly away from him, and he fought back the hurt it caused, knowing she was still very uncertain of everything. She was vulnerable, fragile and confused, and in her eyes she was utterly alone, not knowing who to trust. She needed time to adjust and to learn for herself, and the least he could give her was his understanding and patience.

Steve returned to his seat as she fidgeted in the bed, sitting higher up on the pillows in her hospital gown with the blankets spread over her bare legs. They were quiet for a moment, neither of them knowing how or if they _should_ break the silence between them. It wasn't a painful hush in the room, but more like a deep breath before deciding to plunge. He had just shown her his trust, and she needed to decide how to respond to him as a stranger showing her kindness. He could understand how it might take her insecurities a moment to agree on what felt right, but fortunately it didn't take long.

"Thank you." She said quietly.

Though she didn't look at him when she said those words, the relief and joy he felt from them was exuberant. It was like fresh air to him, feeling comforted with the small gesture of trust and recognition that she may begin to see him as a friend, and not someone to fear.

"You're welcome." He replied with a fond smile.

Cora then noticed the small clamp on her finger, lifting her hand to look at it more closely and followed the cord as it led to the tall beating machine next to her.

"It monitors your heart beat." Steve explained, smiling at how adorable she seemed as she looked back at him slightly sheepishly, "That's what the beeping is."

She didn't respond. Instead she sat ringing her fingers with anxiety and looked down at her legs, obviously trying to work up some courage. Steve decided not to push her but to allow the opportunity settle and ask any questions. It was obvious she wanted to know something, but she was still unsure of the situation.

"Please..." She finally began, visibly fighting her nerves in order to gain answers, though at least her heart beat had pretty much returned to normal now, "Tell me what's going on. How did I get here?"

"Well, to put it simply, we rescued you a few days ago."

"Rescued me?"

"Yeah." He replied, deliberately dancing around the finer points of her story. She didn't need to be bombarded with difficult facts right now. "We found out about a ship, and that you were being kept on it for experiments. So my team and I went in to get you out."

"Experiments? What kind of experiments?"

"We're not sure." He said, the slight lie feeling sour on his tongue, "We retrieved a lot of their research, but we're still going through it."

"What I did before...When I was frightened..." She said, nervous of admitting what had happened in the hospital room, "It was definitely me?"

"We think so, yes."

"Did they do that to me? With the experiments?"

"No." Steve said, seeing her expression fall a little as she looked down with troubled thought, "We think they took you _because_ of what you can do. They were trying to copy it somehow."

"Why?"

"We don't know. Not yet."

There was a moment of silence where she just gazed straight ahead, her expression turning more hurtful as her heart started to speed up. Steve watched with worry, trying to figure out what she was thinking about and wanting to fix it. He didn't like to see her so distraught and lonely.

"I... I don't remember anything." She said, turning to face him. Her heart wrenching expression ripped him deeply as tears dripped from her long eyelashes.

"I know." Steve said, his heart aching for her and wanting to make her happy, "But you will. With time."

"You called me Cora." She said, trying her best to remain calm and composed though she wanted to weep. "Is that my name?"

"Yes it is." Steve smiled gently, shifting in his seat to leans on his knees, "Cora Elizabeth Pritcher."

At the statement of her full name, her gaze snapped to attention, her interest peaked with hope and a gasp. He didn't let the chance go to waste now that she seemed to be easing into the situation and becoming more comfortable with him in the room. He didn't want to bombard her with hurtful facts, especially the ones that revealed her true age, but the look on her face told him that she needed something to hold on to. She needed herself.

"You are twenty four years old, and were born in England." He added softly, "You used to live in New York where you attended university to study Art. Your favourite colour is blue, and your favourite ice cream is strawberry..."

Steve immediately stopped himself as he realised he had just shared some very personal information, things that would only be known by someone close to her rather than her rescuer. But the damage was already done, the stunned curiosity on her face showed that it had not passed her sharp wit.

"Do you know me?" She whispered with a mixture of fear and awe.

Taking a deep breath, he tried to remind himself to bury their relationship and all hints of it. But that sweet innocent look she held as she waited for his answer... He couldn't stop himself entirely. He couldn't deny some form of bond with her.

Steve nodded slowly, "Yes. I know you, Cora."

"How?" She asked with tearful eagerness, sitting up straighter in the bed.

"We were... friends. Before you were taken." He replied, trying his best to smooth over his idiotic admittance.

It would have been better if she had a clean slate from the start, but it was too late now. He just had to make his answers easier for her to accept without slipping up on timeline issues. Steve hadn't counted on these kind of questions yet and he hadn't figured out the answers entirely. He just hoped he could keep it up for now, even though it felt rather sour to dodge around the truth.

"When was I taken?"

"A long time ago." Said Steve, fortunately not getting a chance to finish or indulge anymore of her queries.

The metal door slid open, catching both of their attentions as two armed guards took positions either side of the entrance. Nick Fury entered, his leather coat swathing behind him as he walked, and a stern unamused expression covering his features.


	7. Chapter 7 - The Compromise

**Hi Folks!**

**I'm back again with the next installment. This was a tricky one!**  
**Thank you to everyone for all your patience and eager support, I can't begin to tell you how important and meaningful it is to me!  
The number of followers since the last update has almost doubled! BLIMEY, that's astounding! It now stands a brilliant 89 followers since the end of February when this story was first published, and that is FAST! So thank you thank you thank you!**  
**Well the story is looking to be a monthly installment now. One chapter every month, that way it gives me enough time to make sure it's the best it can be for you all.**  
**Please do keep showing your love for Cap &amp; Cora! Reviews, Favourites and Follows are always fantastic!**

**Here we go...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 7 - The Compromise.**

"Good Evening." Nick Fury greeted with a form of irritated politeness that immediately had Steve out of his seat to stand between him and Cora. The Captain knew Fury wouldn't hurt her, but his approach towards the bed was far too abrupt right now. And apparently Cora thought so too.

It only took a second for her to leap from the bed and head straight for the corner of the room to be the furthest away from the new stranger and his entourage. And it just so happened to be behind Steve as well. He would have smiled if the situation wasn't so tense and an argument imminent.

Steve stood his ground defensively, seeing how the guard's hands had twitched on their weapons when she had jumped up so suddenly. He could hear her panting with fear behind him, even over the alarm of the life support. He couldn't blame her for feeling that way, of course. Fury did have quite an authoritative and intimidating presence with his leather uniform, dark skin and an eye patch, and his unamused stare was not helping as he glanced at her over Steve's shoulder before addressing the super soldier.

"Last I recall, Cap'ain..." Fury pointed out, casually moving over to turn off the life support that was blaring with alarm now that it was disconnected from her finger, "I hadn't given the order for her to be released..."

"She isn't some criminal you can keep chained up, Nick." He retorted, his jaw tight with protective anger.

"She ain't here on vacation either." The director countered from the other side of the bed, his hands resting on his hips, "There are protocols to follow, you know that. I'm responsible for the safety of everyone in this building..."

"She isn't a danger..."

"That doesn't mean that she can't _be_ one!" Nick interrupted forcefully.

Steve could feel himself seething beneath his skin, and that was not a good thing when he was in the same room as a nervous telekinetic, "I think we need to talk outside."

"Agreed." Fury replied with annoyance, marching for the door with the Captain following.

"Wait!"

Steve halted immediately, turning towards the call to see that Cora had stepped out of the corner towards him, a look of pleading apprehension covering her flushed features. It occurred to him then that she had never been left alone before, at least not that she could remember. The times that she had woken up, he had been there attempting to show her kindness. And now she didn't want him to leave. It kind of warmed his heart to be needed like that by her. It meant that she had formed a positive bond with him, no matter how small it might be at the moment, but it showed that she at least trusted him enough to feel safer when he was with her. It was an encouraging start.

Steve smiled comfortingly as he took two steps closer, but decided to keep a safe distance so she could still have her personal bubble. He may have gained a fragment of her acceptance, but he didn't want to push the boundaries. He was still practically a stranger to her.

"It's okay." He reassured tenderly, "I'll only be a moment"

"Please..." She began, but stopped herself as she looked away. Obviously she still had her sense of dignity and didn't want to seem cowardly by asking him not to leave her alone. Steve could only imagine how frightening her situation must be, and her strength in the face of it made him proud of her.

"I'll be right outside the door. I promised you that you're safe here, and I always keep my word." He added softly, taking another small step so he could speak quietly with a smirk, "Besides, there's no-one around here big enough to get past me."

It was only slight, but as she looked up at him and drew in a deep breath, a gentle amused smile tweaked her soft lips at his joke, making his skin quiver and heart skip out of step as if tripping over itself. It had been so long since he had seen that wonderful smirk, one that he had thought would remain only in his memory.

"I can believe that." She whispered, a shyness sparkling in her eyes alongside the nerves of the unknown.

Steve smiled in return, beginning to see more and more hope for her. She still had the same cheeky sense of humour.

"Be right back."

Following the Director out into the hall, the guarded entourage stepping out as well, the heavy metal door slid back into it's secure place to be sealed with an advanced locking mechanism. The sound of it closing made him feel rotten, knowing that Cora was still in there and still fragile.

"Let me make this clear, Cap." Fury suddenly spoke, "She. Is. Dangerous. We still don't know exactly what's she's capable of or how powerful she can be, and whether you like it or not, she is a threat to everyone in this facility until such a time when she can control herself."

"And you expect her to do that when she's treated like a prisoner?" Steve responded firmly, "A frightened and cornered animal will always try to defend itself. She has no memory at all. She didn't even know her name..."

"All the more reason for caution..."

"All the more reason for compassion!" Retorted the Captain, his aggravation beginning to show in his stern tone and body language. He was not going to let them make her into some beast just because they were afraid of her, "She's alone and she doesn't know who to trust. And on top of that she thinks she's a freak because of what she can do. She isn't a threat..."

"Excuse me if I disagree on behalf of the hospital equipment and staff." Nick responded with a hint of sarcasm, "Now I'd say she's an intense threat _because_ she has no memory, _because_ she's scared and _because _she doesn't know what she can do anymore."

"But that isn't her fault!" He reaffirmed with a firm brow, "You want her to learn control, then you need to trust my judgement. I know her..."

"You know her, huh?" He interrupted, his hands resting on his hips again as his authority stepped up with casual condescension, "Did you know from the start what she could do? What she was capable of?"

Steve was silent for a moment, his jaw tightening with frustration as he knew what the Director was getting at, "No."

"Well do you know now?" Asked Nick, keeping his condescending tone to prove his point but now edged his words with a serious warning, "Do you know what she might do the next time she gets scared? Or maybe when she gets curious and wants to see just how powerful she can be?"

"She won't..."

"How do you know that, Cap?" He interrupted again, raising his voice, "You may have thought you knew her back in the day, but now she's..."

"How do you know that?" Steve jumped in, looking the Director dead in the eye with stunned accusation.

Fury almost physically bit his lip as he looked away, altering his stance slightly as he cursed his loose tongue.

"So this is what you kept out of the mission brief." Steve stated, rage beginning to rumble in his chest at the idea that they could have known she was alive all this time and that they had left her to suffer, "How do you know about her?"

There was a silent stand off between them, neither wanting to give an inch and surrender their resolve, but eventually Fury breathed out his frustration and stubbornness.

"You're a SHIELD agent. We know everything about you, including your past before the serum." Nick answered, relinquishing to his questions whilst trying to keep his higher standing as Director.

"And why didn't you tell me she was still alive?"

"Because we didn't know until we interrogated the ship's insider. He said that she was referred to as Candidate C42, but with a little push he eventually gave us her real name, along with the head scientist."

"You should have told me."

"It would have jeopardised the mission, and you know it. Your emotions are already clouding your judgement." Nick said, his calm returning as he cooled down but refused to change his decision. He could see on Steve's face that his last words had hit a cord with him as his hands rested on his hips. "Whether you want to admit it or not, right now she isn't stable because she doesn't know how to be. I have over a thousand people in this facility to think about, and if their safety means she has temporary restrictions then you will just have to deal with that."

"Keeping her in a cell isn't going to help control her fear or her power." Steve pointed out, trying his best to let go of his wrath so he could try and convince the head of SHIELD that he knew what was best for her right now, "You want her to be stable then she needs to learn trust. She needs to feel safe here so she doesn't get spooked again and cause another accident."

Nick Fury looked at the Captain for a brief moment in thought, mulling over his words and the situation. To a degree he was right, but the fact that her captors had an entire research ship dedicated to her and her power made him nervous, and very cautious. But what could he do? He couldn't put everyone at risk but she wouldn't learn her control without some form of freedom.

"Alright. I'll compromise." Nick finally said, "As long as she keeps the collar on, then she can move around the building as she wishes, but only with an armed guard. And she is to stay away from certain classified departments. Deal?"

"Deal. I'll stay with her, she knows me... best." Steve trailed off slightly towards the end of the sentence, his guilt and sorrow feeding back in as he realised that she really didn't know him at all anymore. She only knew the Captain side of himself.

"Maybe when she's a bit more comfortable, you can introduce her to Dr Banner." Fury added, noting how the situation of her memory loss was affecting Rogers, but knowing that there wasn't a hope in hell's chance of making him stand down from the case. In all honesty, he couldn't blame him at all. "If anyone knows about control, it's him."

"Sounds like a good idea." Steve agreed, folding his arms over his chest as he began to think of a plan and try to see past his aching feelings, "But she can't stay here and keep that collar on forever. She's a human being, not a lab rat."

"You show me that she can control herself then she can go wherever the hell she pleases, Cap. But _only_ when I'm convinced. That's the deal."

Steve bit his tongue against the argument that wanted to be released. He had to see things from the director's point of view, "Agreed."

"Good. I'm still waiting on your mission report by the way." Nick added dismissively as he walked away down the hall, "Oh and don't go breaking any more of my orders!"

* * *

Steve strode along the corridors of the SHIELD headquarters, carrying a blue plastic tray with various types of breakfast balanced on the top of it. Though he did a good job of appearing to be normal with his meal delivery, he was both quietly excited and nervous as he drew closer to his destination: Cora's room.

After his discussion with Fury the evening before, he had gone back inside and kept her company. She had been sitting on the bed as if she was a lost child, but her relief at his return was instantly evident in her welcoming smile that had briefly frozen him. She had seemed to physically and emotionally relax, which was encouraging and heart warming. Though everything had been happening so quickly, rushing from one terrified confusing moment to the next, she seemed to be coping and adjusting extremely well.

They had sat and talked into the night about Fury's rules and conditions whilst she remained at SHIELD, and why he had acted so harsh. He had explained about the collar, about the facility she would be calling home for a while, and he answered her various questions about her past, who she was, why she was taken and what little he knew about her power. Steve had tried to answer as many as he could, but there had been a lot of improvisation in order to dodge the disturbing facts of her life.

Unfortunately, in doing so, it had made him realise that he wouldn't be able to keep the truth from her forever. As much as he wanted her to have a clean start without any regrets, it was clear that she wanted to remember her old life more than start over and make a new one. She wasn't much interested in the present or the possibilities it offered, she simply wanted her memories so she could feel whole again.

A part of Steve was reluctant and scared for her, wondering how she might cope with the fact that she had been frozen for so long, but if that's what she craved the most for her happiness to be restored, then he would respectfully oblige. However, he wanted to ease her into the facts a bit at a time, not just blurt it out and risk hurting her. It was going to be a lot for her to deal with and accept. He just hoped that she could survive it all, and he could figure out a way to do it.

After a while, Cora had fallen asleep on the hospital bed, her nerves and uncertainties about him almost entirely washed away. He could see that she was beginning to feel quite comfortable around him now. Though she still had a few nervous responses, it was at least enough to willingly allow herself to sleep in his presence. It gave him hope that she may remember him after all, or maybe even rekindle their bond, but he tried his best not to cling to the idea. He didn't want the disappointment or heartbreak if she decided her affections didn't match his own. It had been seventy years since they parted, but he still felt the same for her, and he knew it wouldn't change. But that didn't mean she would feel as he did.

He had carefully pulled a blanket over her sleeping form and quickly wrote a message on a scrap of paper explaining where he had gone and that a friend would visit in a while with some clothes, then he carefully left it beside her. Hopefully it would put her at ease if she woke up to find him not there. It had been a fair few days since he last slept, and though he left her grudgingly, he knew that he needed to rest. He needed to be sharp and alert around her, not sluggish and exhausted.

When he got home, it had taken a bit of time but finally he had fallen into a deep slumber for a few hours. It wasn't ideal but fortunately his super soldier stamina could cope with sleep deprivation pretty well. He could manage until the following night.

Steve stopped outside Cora's room as he greeted the two armed agents standing either side of the door, "Gentlemen."

"Morning, Cap." They replied almost in unison.

"How has she been?"

"Model guest, Captain." One of them said, "We had to escort her to pee a few hours ago but she was perfectly behaved. And nothing happened when Agent Romanov visited either."

"Good to hear." Steve responded with some relief. He had asked Natasha before he had gone home if she could take Cora some clothes this morning, and he had been a little worried how she would handle the new face without him there for support. He had hoped that his note would calm her at least, "Thank you."

Steve swiped his security card through the door's reader and then placed his hand onto the scanner, a steady blue light sweeping beneath his palm to read it.

"Access granted, Captain Rogers." The security's intelligence stated, it's female voice was smooth with a polite android tone.

The thick metal door slid open, revealing Cora who was wide awake and quickly got to her feet in response. When she saw him however, she immediately breathed with a calm pleasant smile.

Steve walked into the room and stopped, the door closing behind him as he looked at her for a surprised moment. She was wearing standard issue SHIELD sweat pants with a black t-shirt emblazoned with the emblem over her left breast. She also had strike team combat boots laced onto her feet which gave her a style that he had never seen her show before. Her hair was combed and plaited to fall over one of her shoulders, but still it reached her waist. And even though she wore no make up and had been through a frozen hell for seven decades, her features were still like smooth porcelain, the dark circles beneath her eyes almost entirely faded, and her soft lips were now a natural dusky pink. She looked healthy and beautiful, enough to make him forget that he was actually staring until she blushed and looked away shyly.

Steve cleared his throat a little to try and regain his thoughts, "Good morning."

"Morning." She replied, her fingers knitting together in front of her.

"Did you sleep okay?"

"Yes, thank you. You?"

"I managed a few hours." He smirked, expecting the small lecture that he knew she would deliver in response. It was what the old Cora would have done, and he was curious to know if she still held the same personality traits.

"You shouldn't skip your sleep." She said, unknowingly fulfilling his prediction to make him smile fondly.

"I heard you met Natasha."

"Yes. She brought me clothes." She smiled a little timidly, opening her arms for a moment to emphasise her outfit, "She was nice, had a good grasp of how to keep me relaxed even though she was clearly someone not to be meddled with."

Steve giggled a little under his breath, "That's true, I'll admit, but don't worry about it. She won't hurt you."

"Unless I do something to provoke her." She retorted with a slight sadness in her tone as she looked away for a moment.

Steve couldn't deny her statement, regardless of how much he wanted to. He knew that Romanov wouldn't hesitate to do what was necessary in a split second, but he also knew that there was a sense of compassion buried deep down inside her that would show itself from time to time. And it was that part of Natasha that he trusted enough to allow her near Cora. She had seen his reaction on the ship and had been thoughtful enough to sit with him sometimes at the hospital. She knew the situation between them, and to a degree, she obviously supported them. Natasha knew what it was like to have a life taken away, so he guessed she sympathized with her.

"But she did kindly cover the security camera for me whilst I got changed." Cora added with a gentle smile, obviously trying to brighten the situation after her statement.

"Right... I hadn't thought of that." He said, going along with her brave attempt and marvelling at how calm and sure she seemed today, "Sorry."

"It's alright. Can't expect you to think of everything. I will admit that these clothes feel a little... strange."

"You look great though." He replied spontaneously, mentally slapping himself for being so bold. Fortunately, she responded well.

"Thank you." She blushed with a smirk, "Natasha said that it was all she could find to fit me at short notice. She's going to arrange for a proper wardrobe and to get my hair cut. It's a little long to deal with now."

"I can imagine after..." Steve quickly stopped what he was about to say, forcing a rethink to keep her age a secret, "...having it shorter before. You used to have it just below your shoulder blades."

"I see." She replied thoughtfully which made Steve nervous, "Well either my hair grows very quickly, or I've been captive for quite a while."

She looked at him gently, expecting an explanation that he knew he couldn't give yet. Too soon, far too soon. He was going to have to be more careful in the future. He was slipping up too easily and far too often.

"It's been a while." Steve said, purposely avoiding a specific answer. "But I have noticed that you seem a lot calmer today. Much more relaxed."

Cora smiled, looking down with an expression which showed that she knew he was avoiding the subject like the plague. Fortunately, she obviously chose to trust him and go along with it. That was his Cora alright, patience and understanding of a saint.

"I suppose our long talk last night helped to reassure me a little bit more." She replied, "Oh and thank you for the kind note you left. I will admit that it was unsettling to wake up alone for the first time, but your message helped."

"Glad to hear it. Oh..." Steve suddenly perked, realising that he was still standing in front of the door with a tray of food, "I thought you would be pretty hungry by now, so I brought you some breakfast."

Cora smiled gratefully, "Thank you, that's very thoughtful."

"You're welcome." He replied, placing the tray on the end of the bed as he quietly enjoyed her sweet English-accented manners. He had missed them. "Wasn't sure what you would want so I brought a bit of everything."

Cora smiled as she looked at the many plates and bowls squeezed onto the tray, "So I see."

"Yeah, I may have overdone it a little." He said with a slightly embarrassed laugh, looking down at his feet from old habit as his hands rested on his hips.

"You look different today." She suddenly said, her words making him look up to see her curious gaze perusing his clothes.

He quickly realised that she had only ever seen him in his dark blue tactical uniform. He was now wearing civilian clothes as he was technically off-duty, and he could imagine his current ensemble of jeans, brown boots, and a casual navy jacket over a white cotton t-shirt would be quite a contrast of normalities.

"Yeah..." He began slightly shyly as she looked at him, feeling a little self conscious, "Can't wear my uniform all the time. People at the grocery store tend to stare."

Cora giggled softly at his joke, and he felt a small crack in his heart from years ago begin to seal again. It was amazing the effect she had on him: Healing, soothing... She was his greatest medicine in a way. She had been what kept him together in his darkest moments, but was also the cause of a few when he had missed her terribly. But now, without realising it, she was mending the wounds that had been laid bare for so long that they seemed normal to him now. Steve was truly looking forward to the days ahead, having the privilege to see her alive and blossoming.

"Well don't wait on me." He said gently, walking over to the chair and sitting down casually to give her a bit of breathing space, leaning forward on his knees in the usual way he did. "Help yourself to breakfast."

"Thank you." She smirked, though she was a little unsure of what was on the tray as she sat on the bed and tucked her legs up comfortably.

Choosing a plate at random, she picked up a fork and sniffed the steaming scrambled egg, before timidly skewering a few fluffy pieces and placing them in her mouth. Her reaction was almost instant, her eyes widening as she removed the fork and began to chew: Recollection, hunger and pleasure all in one go. She quietly moaned with delight and began to stab more of the food and hurriedly stuffed it into her mouth, forgetting her manners entirely to make Steve grin at the small hamster cheeks that were forming. Obviously she was hungry.

She closed her eyes, a small scrunched smile playing on her pressed lips as she chewed with satisfaction, her little bulging cheeks filled without a care. Until she remembered that she wasn't alone, and her eyes popped open as she immediately stopped eating. Slowly, Cora looked at Steve with a sheepish gaze as a soft blush covered her round cheeks with embarrassment. He couldn't help himself as a small laugh escaped him, her look so adorable and amusing, like she had just been caught with her hand in the cookie jar.

"I take it the eggs are good." He said brightly, watching as she quickly put down the plate and snatched a napkin from the tray to hide her full mouth, her eyes apologetic before she turned away bashfully to make him chuckle once more.

There was a moment of entertaining silence as she furiously tried to chew her food with her back to him. He waited patiently, desperately trying to get his laughter under control in case she took it badly. He had loved her enthusiasm, and would never laugh at her in a humiliating way.

Finally, she turned around with a little chagrin as she wiped her mouth, "Sorry. That was rather rude."

"No, not at all. It was actually rather sweet." He said before he could check himself. Again. It was far too easy to slip up and offer her compliments. At least he wasn't bumbling his words and unintentionally insulting her like had done a few times back in the day.

Cora blushed a little in response, and Steve sighed quietly in relief. Fortunately for him, she seemed to warm to his little idiotic affections. He just needed to keep them roped in and not allow himself to get too bold. He didn't want to cause confusion or distress. Or worse, arouse her suspicions that there was more to their past than he was telling her.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." He added.

"I was a little more hungry than I realised." She replied with a shy laugh in an attempt to hide her embarrassment.

"I completely understand. My metabolism runs four times faster than normal so I pretty much do the same thing in the mornings."

"Four times?" She queried with surprise, "Why?"

"Erm... It's a long story. I'll tell you about it some time." Steve replied, managing to dodge the subject for now. He didn't want to intimidate her by revealing he wasn't exactly a normal guy. "But by all means don't stop breakfast on my account."

Slightly tentatively but with a grateful smile, she picked up the next plate that held a small stack of warm pancakes drizzled in honey. She politely cut off a section with her fork and popped it into her mouth with anticipation. Her eyes once again showed her pleasure, only this time she controlled herself and remained civilised as she continued to cut off small pieces, but only after she had swallowed the previous ones.

Steve was mildly disappointed but amused at her discipline. She was obviously still very hungry but was determined to eat with dignity.

After a moment, she stopped, her face furrowing slightly with thought.

"What is it?" He queried gently.

"I was just thinking. You've told me a little about myself, and about SHIELD... But I don't know very much about you." She said, her eyes soft as she looked at him with her silent request.

"Well, erm..." Steve began, clearing his throat nervously as he tried to frantically think of what to say. He didn't want to tell her that he was a super soldier, and he couldn't tell her yet that he was from the 1940s and had been frozen in ice because that would then make her question just how long they had been friends. He suddenly realised that there wasn't much else to tell, which was not helpful. "I've worked for SHIELD as one of their agents for about a year now. I...er... lead a strike team on various missions. I like motorcycles? To be honest, I'm not entirely sure what to tell you. My work takes up most of my life."

"Do you enjoy it?" She asked respectfully, placing a piece of pancake into her mouth to chew.

"Sometimes. In a way." He replied thoughtfully, his brow creasing with the strain of bouncing around various classified facts, "Being a soldier was all I ever wanted to be."

"Why?"

Steve paused for a moment, a familiarity of the conversation beginning to ring against an old memory: They had had a very similar discussion the first time they met.

"Erm..." He said, looking down at his knitted fingers as he tried to think of how to answer her, "To me, serving and protecting my country and it's people is an honour. And I... I guess I just want to do what's right, and to help people as best I can."

When he looked back up, he was silently startled to see her gazing back at him with a familiar smile.

"I believe you." She said gently, "And I'm sure we're better off with you protecting us."

Steve was frozen for a brief moment as she spoke those words. They were so close to what she had said all those years ago when he had answered her very similar questions, and she held the same fond and proud look as well. It was slightly bitter-sweet, fate repeating itself so closely. A part of him was thrilled by it, whilst another part mourned their lost bond.

"Thank you." He finally said.

Cora looked down from his soft stare to play with what was left of the pancakes on her plate, "So... What's going to happen now?"

"What do you mean?"

"You rescued me. I don't remember anything. And then I destroyed a hospital room because I got scared. You said I have to stay here until I can control myself but what then? What happens when I can leave? Or what if I never learn to control it? Will I have to stay here for the rest of my life?"

"No." Steve replied fervently, "You will learn, it's just going to take time and practice."

She didn't look too convinced, "Could I control it before?"

"I believe so." He replied, "I never actually knew about it, and that shows you could control your gift. And once you learn how to again, you can do whatever you want. You have a whole world and a new life to discover."

"And what if I don't want a new life?" She retorted gently, looking at him in earnest, "What if I just want my old one, whatever it was?"

Steve paused for a moment in thought before answering her with a soft smile, "Then maybe I can help you find it."

Cora smiled at his reply, her glistening eyes seemingly wetter though they held no sadness at that moment. They held hope and gratitude, "Thank you."

"Anytime." He replied with just as much platonic affection, though he couldn't push down the idea of their old life together being rekindled against all odds, "In the meantime, how about we start small?! How about I show you around? Once you've finished breakfast of course."

"So soon?" She asked, a slight hint of apprehension tainting her question.

"If you'd like."

"But... aren't you scared that I might... have another accident?" Cora asked, carefully choosing her words, "I'm not exactly reliable or safe."

Steve's brow furrowed slightly, "You're not a threat, Cora, so don't believe that you are. You're stronger than you know."

"You're very confident considering what I can do." She smirked, though there was no amusement in it.

"I have faith in you." He replied, "You'll do fine. And any time you feel overwhelmed, we'll come back here so you can relax."

"And you'll stay with me? The whole time?"

He smiled fondly, soothed by her request and soft need for his company. It sparked a response in him that he couldn't catch in time.

"Yes, ma'am."

His words instantly triggered a startled response in her, her gaze locked on him with confused thought and shock as her mouth opened and closed a few times without saying a word.

"What's wrong?" He asked, curious to know if he had just sparked a memory.

"It's..." She began, trying to make sense of what she had just felt: The words, the voice, the emotion of affection attached to it... "Those words seemed so familiar. I could almost see a memory and then... it disappeared."

Cora emotionally deflated, placing her plate on the bed to bury her disappointed face in her hands with a sigh. So close, so tormentingly close.

"Cora." He called gently, shuffling to the edge of the seat to get closer to her whilst maintaining a respectful distance.

She sniffed slightly and took a deep breath before removing her hands and wiping away the small tears that had tried to fall, determination on her features to not allow herself to succumb to grief.

"I'm alright." She replied, sniffling once more as she wiped beneath her reddened eyes, "It's just so frustrating to be taunted with a memory and then have it buried again."

"But at least you now know the memories are there." He reassured, trying to calm her away from the sorrow, "You just have to be patient."

She nodded in agreement as she slowly regained her composure, "I know."

Steve quickly tried to change the subject before it could turn into difficult questions that he wasn't ready to answer, "If you're ready... Shall we go?"

Cora smiled sweetly though he could still see the nerves biting at her beneath her calm façade, "I'm ready."


	8. Chapter 8 - Trust & Sacrifice

**Hey folks!**

**I'm back with June's new chapter, as promised.**  
**Things are started to get even more interesting between Steve and Cora now, and around her capabilities. I hope you're enjoying this as much as me. I know what's coming later on and I can't wait to write it!**  
**Thank you all for your support, you're still blowing me away! 122 followers and 73 favourites! Holy cow! Absolutely brilliant, thank you so much. Please do keep showing the love for Cora and Steve, and don't be shy to share with other Cap loving friends!**

**Here we go...**

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**CHAPTER 8 - Trust &amp; Sacrifice.**

So far Cora had been quite impressed with all she had seen at SHIELD headquarters: The ingenuity and complexity of the technology, the vastness of the building and the quantity of skilled personnel was all intriguing to her. It was all new and unknown due to her amnesia so she experienced it all with the same sort of excitement as a well behaved child may possess when on a field trip, filled with questions and curiosity about her surroundings.

First Steve had taken her down to the ground floor to show her the extensive foyer that was decorated with a sophisticated yet professional style. He had enjoyed watching her awe and wonderment as she looked up at the sunny sky that shone through the vast glass roof of the entrance hall. The light had glowed on her creamy skin and autumn hair, something that had not gone unnoticed by the Captain.

After that he had taken her to various other floors that weren't deemed as classified, working up from the bottom. The training hall had been an interesting subject for her as she watched some agents practising unarmed combat, and it had spurred her to ask questions about his own skills. Especially when the new recruits seemed obviously nervous yet awed at being watched by him and his guest. Steve had explained it away using the excuse of his rank, leaving out the real reason for some of the trainee's admiration.

The gun range had been an unexpected stop on the tour, and a close risk that Steve hadn't thought through before surrendering to her curiosity and leading her into the tense environment. The sudden bursts of the firearms had caused her to make a quick exit with some deep breathing. She hadn't expected it to be so loud and Steve had apologised sincerely for his lack of forewarning. Fortunately, a few seconds later in the corridor, she was smiling and laughing as herself.

After that experience they had stopped by the cafeteria for a break and a hot drink to calm her nerves and to relax. There had already been a lot for her to take in, and though she was handling it all remarkably well, Steve still didn't want to rush the tour and bombard her with information. However, the moment they had finished their coffee, she was on her feet and politely eager to continue.

There was one part of the tour, however, that Cora didn't look forward to in the slightest, but managed to bear regardless: The glass elevator. The moment the doors had opened for the first time, the harsh daylight had made her turn away, her eyes unused to the brightness that glared through the glass. Once she had adjusted and stepped inside though, she seemed fine, smiling at the view of the city... Until the elevator began to swiftly drop towards the ground floor and the scenery was suddenly rushing by in the wrong direction. That had unsettled her quite a bit, to the point that Steve had stopped the lift for a moment so she could catch her breath properly. Luckily, there was no harm done and she recovered without incident with the help of his reassurance, but after that she insisted on facing the door whilst the glass lift was in motion. Steve would stand beside her, his hands crossed politely as he fought the need to chuckle at her sweet apprehension. Now was such a time.

"Was I ever afraid of heights before?" Asked Cora, her foot tapping anxiously as the elevator raced towards the top of the building. She was inevitably facing the door but her mind knew the view behind her was flying by with gut-wrenching effect.

"Not that I recall, no." He smiled, his hands clasped patiently in front of him in a casual stance, but he was always alert for any bad signs that could trigger her gift. So far though he had been impressed at her control in the face of a few surprises.

"Oh." She replied, her hands curling into loose fists as she tried to not pay attention to the odd pull in her stomach that the speed caused, "Perhaps it's just the sight of the city racing past. Almost like falling from the sky."

"Nah, this is nothing like that." Steve said casually with a slightly playful smirk, "I jump out of planes fairly often. There's a lot more wind for starters."

"I'll have to take your word for it, Captain, as I'm fairly certain I will never find out for myself." She joked lightly, relieved as she looked at the floor number ticking closer towards their goal and for his kindly distracting conversation.

"Steve." He corrected softly, "Call me Steve."

"Alright... Steve." She smiled fondly as the lift slowed to a halt with a 'ding', the doors sliding open with the female voice announcing their arrival, "Thank goodness."

Steve allowed her to exit ahead of him as was his gentlemanly way, and because the sooner she was off the elevator, the calmer she would feel. She practically ran out into the corridor, the top floor of one of the SHIELD HQ towers.

There were three curved towers surrounding a middle cylindrical one, reminiscent of a clock or the 'locked on' bullseye of a fighter plane's targeting system. All of them were connected by a top circular level which required the highest security clearance to gain access to: The World Security Council. Only Fury and a few others had the authority to go there.

Although the top levels of the towers were structurally on par with the council, it was impossible to gain access from them via the normal elevators or stairwells. The council level had it's own guarded lift within the center tower structure. This meant, however, that Steve had the adequate clearance to visit the other towers' top levels whenever he liked without causing trouble.

The office floor they arrived at was pretty empty now, barely a sound to echo from the polished floor of the corridor as this level of the tower was not currently in use for any department. There was no furniture and no lights to illuminate the corridor leading away from the lift, except for the tower windows at the other end. All three towers were encased in reflective glass to allow the maximum amount of sunlight.

"This way." Said Steve, leading her to a door on the left and opened it with a swipe of his security card, revealing a set of metal stairs.

"Where are we going?" Cora asked curiously as she stepped into the stairwell and stopped to allow her guide to take the lead, the door securely clicking closed behind them.

"Up." He smiled, chivalrously gesturing for her to go ahead of him.

"But we're already on the top floor...?"

"Yes and no." He replied as he climbed the steps behind her.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're quite a tease when you want to be?!" She joked, making the Captain chuckle.

"Not exactly."

"So... Are you going to tell me what's up here?"

"I think it would be better if I just show you." He smirked as he stopped in front of a metal ladder when the stairs eventually ended, a heavy roof hatch door above it as the only way to proceed.

Climbing the few short steps up the ladder, Steve swiped his security card over the reader beside the hatch, the lock beeping it's approval to allowed him to push open the heavy door with a squeak. Climbing the rest of the way up into the bright light, he turned back for Cora when he reached the top and motioned for her to climb up after him. offering out his hand for assistance as he looked down through the hatch.

"Careful now." He smiled, relishing in the softness of her hand as she tentatively accepted his aid to climb the ladder, gently helped her up the rest of the way. He knew that she didn't need assistance, but his manners insisted that he at least offer. Besides, a part of him wanted to see if she would accept, and now that part was almost sighing with contentment.

"Thank you." She graciously said as she stepped up onto the roof, her boots crunching on the loose gravel.

The fresh chill of the wind caught the loose strands of hair around her face as she squinted against the harsh light of day, raising her hand to try and shield her eyes a little.

Cora immediately gasped, her hand lowering as she slowly walked forward in dazed awe, captured by the vast landscape around her. If she had ever seen a view like it, then she certainly didn't remember, and her gaze showed her stunned amazement.

Steve smiled as he witnessed her innocent reaction, her expression so pure with emotion as she experienced the full beauty of the city and lush green land for the first time. He walked behind her as she drifted forward towards the edge of the rooftop, mesmerised on the details until she stopped at the walled ledge where she released a breath of unbelieving joy, her smile rising as she looked from one side of the horizon to the next. The wind whipped at her hair causing it to flick into her face but she paid no attention, the moment entirely filled with the wonders she saw.

The sky was a bright blue streaked with wisps of soft cloud as the afternoon sun glistened off the windows and surfaces of the impressive buildings of the city, surrounded by an endless expanse of trees and grass. The headquarters on which she stood towered above them all, situated on it's own island in the middle of a wide glistening river that ran through the middle of the city, having it's own roads leading to the river banks and the world beyond.

The sounds of life whispered gently on the wind from the ground many stories below them and from afar, the occasional bird swooping past with acrobatic flight to tweet an unintentional greeting.

She stood quietly and peacefully, just smiling at the world she had never seen, the light shining on her autumn hair and illuminating her cream skin and sparkling eyes. Steve marvelled as he wondered if there would ever be a situation where she wouldn't be beautiful to him.

"It's... incredible." She whispered finally, not moving her gaze from the view.

"Yes. It is." He whispered to himself, though his words weren't entirely referring to what _she_ was seeing.

Cora smiled brightly at him, obviously not having heard what he had said or how he had said it. Luckily. It would only cause more questions. And possibly embarrassment.

"I thought you'd like it." Steve added quickly with a crooked smirk, "I'm just glad you're not scared of heights after all."

She giggled for a moment, shaking a happy tear free to her own surprise as she quickly wiped it away, "That is fortunate. Though I'm a little surprised you allow me up here."

"Well you don't plan on jumping, do you?" He asked playfully.

"Oh no, none at all." She laughed, "But thank you. Really. This is spectacular."

"You're welcome." He replied, perching on the wall casually, "I come up here sometimes when I need to breathe or relax between missions."

"I can understand why." She replied, leaning forward on the wall as she relaxed in the peaceful atmosphere, "I suppose in your line of work it can be difficult to have a quiet moment to yourself."

"Occasionally."

"So... Can you see your home from up here?" She asked, wanting to keep the conversation bright and not fall into dreary subjects that might upset him.

"Not really." He replied as he stood up to point into the distance, "But it's over there, quite a few blocks away."

Cora stood up straight and walked further along the curved wall of the roof in the direction he indicated, crunching across the gravel as she shielded her eyes from the sun to try and focus on the small details of the city's horizon, "And do you live alone?"

Steve was momentarily caught off guard at the query, not having considered that she may think him married or partnered at least. It was an odd notion coming from her considering their history together, that she may think that he wanted to be with someone else.

"I'm sorry..." Cora apologised when he didn't answer, "That was a little intrusive considering we barely know each other."

Steve couldn't help the ironic smirk that crept up on his features. She used to know him very well, second only to Bucky.

"No, it's fine." He reassured, "I don't mind. I'd like for us to be friends again so... ask what you want. And yes... I live alone."

"I'm surprised." She responded gently, "I would think you'd be married or at least involved with someone."

Steve chuckled lightly, his hands finding his pockets as he stood beside her, his sights either on his shoes or the horizon, "Like I said before, my life mainly revolves around my work. Too busy to date."

"No time for anyone at all?" She asked softly, a small hint of sympathy edging her tone as she looked at him.

"Not really. And to be honest, I find it difficult to connect with people on that kind of level. I'm a little... different."

"That makes two of us." She smiled, making him chuckle and blush lightly at the insinuation of them being a pair.

"So, relationship-wise, I figure I can wait." He blinked as he realised he had just fallen into another familiar conversation, and he wondered if she would unknowingly fulfil her part in the replaying of it.

"For what?"

Steve smiled fondly, looking down at his shoes as he answered and remembered the time all those years ago when he answered that same question, "The right partner."

Cora smiled at his sweetness as she looked back at the view, something in the back of her mind seeming to click at his words but not enough to create a memory.

Refusing to allow the disappointment to spoil the moment, she sighed out the frustration discreetly as the chill of the wind caught her bare arms to prickle her skin. The sensation was wonderfully pleasant, but she began to wish the temperature was a little warmer as they stood quietly together, instinctively folding her arms tightly over her chest against the breeze.

"Are you cold?" He asked.

"A little. We are up pretty high and it's quite windy."

"Do you want to go back down?"

"No no." She said fervently, turning towards him before she smiled at her eager response and calmed herself down again, "Can we stay a little longer, please? Feels like forever since I've been outdoors."

"Of course." He smiled, just before he slipped out of his blue jacket.

"Oh no, you don't have to..." Cora began to politely protest as she realised what he was about to do, noticing immediately just how large his muscles actually were now that his arms were uncovered, his broad chest sheathed in a tight t-shirt. His physique was certainly impressive to say the least.

"I insist." He replied with a gentlemanly smirk as he held out his jacket for her to slip into.

Cora smiled shyly before she turned around and slid her arms into the big sleeves, feeling how he gently helped to rest it on her shoulders. The jacket was still warm, a soft cosy relief from the cool breeze as the fabric stroked her bare skin. She blushed as she realised it smelt of him: a man's deep natural scent, like a mixture of musk, flesh and soap. It made her breathe deeply as she turned around, shuffling her hands out the ends of the sleeves that were too long.

"Thank you." She smiled with slight heat to her cheeks as she couldn't help but notice how his t-shirt fit snugly to his muscular body.

"Anytime." He replied kindly, his hands in his jeans pockets again and wrapped around the compass there as he tried not to be affected by how good she looked in his jacket, "Suits you."

"I think it's a little too big." She chuckled, wrapping the jacket around her for emphasis, only her fingers managing to poke out of the sleeves.

"Perhaps a little."

Smiling at one another, they suddenly found themselves locked in a long gaze until their blushing got the better of them and they turned away in favour of the view. For a while they remained silent, comfortable in each other's company as they stood beside one another and watched the city go about it's ordinary day, though they were both very aware of the other's presence and proximity.

Though the heightened senses and emotions around Steve were pleasant for Cora, it was also unnerving and confusing in a way. She had only really met him the day before and yet she was already finding him attractive and endearing when she should logically be keeping her distance until she worked him out properly, trying to figure out if he really was as he seemed or if he spoke falsehoods or was toying with her.

However, she was certain somehow that he was a good man, honest and kind and with honour. She barely knew him and yet she found herself trusting him almost implicitly, only being comfortable and calm with her unreal situation when he was around her.

Cora was certain that she shouldn't be so involved with him so quickly, even if he had explained that they used to be friends. It made her wonder if perhaps he wasn't telling her the whole truth. Though she trusted his words about her rescue, she now had doubts about the nature of their bond. Perhaps there was more to their friendship than he had suggested.

"Steve, may I ask you a question?" She suddenly asked carefully.

"Of course." He replied, though his stomach was trying to tense with a warning.

"And you'll answer it rather than trying to dance around and avoid telling me?"

Steve's brow creased with concern as he began to panic inside his head. Not only did she know he was withholding facts from her, but now she seemed to be on a course for questioning and figuring things out. It was too soon for her to be bombarded with the truth yet, he hadn't planned on it that way and he had no idea how to do it.

The only excuse and escape he could think of at that moment was to hide it all behind the guise of classified information for now. Her life needed to be handled delicately, one major issue at a time, and the first one to be addressed was her power and control. They were her greatest enemy right now and needed to be dealt with before anything else.

He had no choice. As much as he hated it, he would have to lie to her for a while for her own good.

"If I can." He answered tactfully, crossing his arms over his chest in preparation to steel his resolve. This wasn't going to be easy.

"We were very close, weren't we?" She asked gently as she looked into his blue eyes for his sincere answer.

"Yes, we were." Steve said with a crooked smirk, "There were only two people in my life that seemed to understand me best: You and my childhood friend, Bucky."

"Bucky." She repeated, a touch of recognition fizzing somewhere in her mind, something involving her and Steve, but once again refusing to give any sure light on why or how or what. "Where is he?"

Steve's smile disappeared with sorrow, "He died."

"I'm sorry." She said mournfully, a part of her beginning to regret her questions if it was going to bring up painful memories for him. "I didn't mean to.."

"It's alright." He interrupted gently, his tender smirk appearing once again, "You didn't know."

"Tell me how we met." She asked, changing the subject to hopefully something a little happier.

Steve took a deep breath, quickly cataloguing their first encounter for anything he should leave out, and wondering if this was going to start triggering her memories. A part of him was thrilled at the idea of her remembering, whilst another part was clenching with dread.

"Well... We actually met in a bar. You were getting a bit of unwanted attention from some guys so I stepped in to help."

"You seem to have a habit of rescuing ladies, Captain." Cora smiled, making him chuckle bashfully, "What happened then?"

"We... became friends." He replied, mentally hitting himself for the weak answer, "We went places, talked about things... We were close."

"So what happened when I disappeared?" She asked, trying to piece together her lost life, trying to understand why and how it had been taken, and how Steve was involved.

"I was away for a few months." He said, his answer becoming more serious as the guilt tried to snake it's way back in to torment him, "Training. We kept in touch, wrote to each other, but then your letters stopped. I came back to see if you were okay but... you were gone. No-one had seen you in a week and your apartment wasn't lived in. I asked my superior for some help to find you and... and four days later I was given a newspaper."

Cora watched how he recalled the memory, seeing the pain in his eyes even though they were not looking at her. As eager as she was to know more, she refrained from urging him to continue until he was ready. This memory was obviously upsetting for him.

"There was an article about a car crash. Two people died: The cab driver..." Steve hesitated, looking into her eyes now, capturing her attention to make her heart stutter, "...And you."

Cora's mouth dropped open slightly, a breath escaping with the shock of his words.

"I attended your funeral." He added sadly, before a small smile tweaked his lips, "But it was obviously a lie. Whoever had taken you went to a lot of trouble to fake your death, make sure that no-one would try to find you. If I had known, Cora... I would have come for you."

She looked up at him, registering his passionate and truthful words, as her eyes tried to mist in response. There was something in that gaze, something in the way he looked at her sometimes that was so familiar to her. It was sure and honest, holding no hardness to them, only a kind of tenderness that made her palms clammy.

"Somehow..." She managed to whisper, "I know you would have."

They were silent once again, taking comfort in each other's presence and soft gaze: Steve trying desperately to fight his guilt and yearning for their bond, and Cora craving her memories more than anything. As well as dealing with the way he made her feel sometimes against her logical thoughts.

"I wish I could remember you." She finally said.

"Me too." He said mournfully.

"Can I ask you one more thing?" She questioned lightly, making Steve nod slowly in response, "You've said that I've been gone a long time..."

Steve braced in horrid anticipation. He knew what was coming, and he knew this was when he would have to lie to her.

"How long have I been gone?" She asked, just above a whisper as she wasn't sure if she wanted to know, "And please don't answer vaguely. Just tell me truthfully."

"I can't." He managed to reply, not ready for this in the slightest.

"Why?"

"It's... classified..."

"How can my life be classified from me?" She retorted passionately.

Steve had nothing to say in response. She was right, of course. She was entitled to know her life and what had happened, but he was terrified of her reaction to it. He wasn't a good liar, he always strove to be honest, but she wasn't ready for this yet. Neither of them were. He would have to tell her something that was believable to put her at ease a little, but certainly not the truth.

"Please." She pleaded quietly.

Slowly releasing a deep breath, his head bowed as he closed his eyes for strength and resolve, he finally looked up to give his false sour-tasting answer, "Two years."

Cora looked at him for a moment, gauging his troubled face before responding calmly, "You're lying. I can tell. I don't know how, but I can."

Steve looked away, cursing himself for his lack of skill when it came to delivering lies, and for his inconvenient sense of honesty. Now was not the time for his usual morals.

"How long, Steve?"

His eyes closed once again as he tried to convince himself that what he was about to say was for the best and for all intents and purposes _was_ the truth for now. This was how it had to be, it was for her own good. One step at a time. For both of them.

"Seven." He answered quietly, unable to look at her though, "Your funeral was seven years ago last week."

Cora was slightly breathless at his words. Seven years. She had been missing and experimented on for seven years. She now understood his initial reluctance to tell her, and she did her best to bury her shocked and grieving reaction, beat back the scratching inside her that was threatening to surface with her destructive gift. If she responded badly to every fact he gave her, he may stop indulging the information, or worse she may hurt him if she allowed herself to be overwhelmed. As difficult and crushing as his words were, she was grateful for them. She had needed to know. It was her life.

"Thank you." She finally said, her voice quivering slightly as her eyes felt wet.

Steve looked at her, seeing how much it really affected her though she tried to hide it. A part of him still felt raw and deceitful for lying to her about something so important, but another side of him knew that he had done the right thing. If she was so emotional over seven years, he dread to think how she would cope with the truth of seven decades. As rotten as he felt, he took comfort knowing that he was protecting her.

The ringing of his cell phone suddenly caught his attention, pulling out the sleek device and hitting the answer button on the touch screen when he saw who it was. Putting the phone to his ear, he watched as Cora turned away to watch the city again, quickly wiping away the small tears that threatened as if he wouldn't notice, "Natasha."

"Where are you?" She asked over the phone, her voice seeming urgent and calm at the same time. She had a talent for that.

"On the roof with Cora, why?"

"Looks like we're gonna' be cracking into those encrypted files soon, we found a back door. So you may want to be here... but I suggest without her. No telling what we might find."

Steve was torn. He didn't want to leave Cora right now, but they needed to know the information on that data drive as soon as possible as it may hold something vital to help her.

"Alright." He finally answered.

"Operations control." She instructed.

"On my way."

Clicking the phone off to end the call, he put the device back in his pocket as he stood in silence, not wanting to say what he had to right now.

"Time to go back to work?" She said, a faint smile finding her soft lips but not her eyes.

He nodded in reply, "We may have some information about what they did to you. They need me down there."

"And I'm assuming that it's classified to me."

"I'm sorry."

"It's alright." She replied, her smile appearing once again, "I can sort of understand."

"I'll take you back to your room first." Said Steve, offering for her to go ahead of him politely.

Cora walked across the rooftop towards the roof hatch, his jacket still wrapped tightly around her as she tried not to think about what he had revealed about her past. It would only end up upsetting her further and run the risk of severing her delicate control on her gift. She didn't want to trigger it again after seeing just how violent she could be without barely willing it to happen. Besides, there was nothing she could do now to change the time of her absence. She couldn't bring it back no matter how much she might wish it, so there was no reason to let it hound her with sadness. She just needed to let it go and try to pick up the pieces where her life had ended.

Steve jumped down through the hatch first and then remained poised at the bottom of the ladder as he watched her climb down, at the ready just in case she needed his assistance. After she quietly thanked him, he pulled the hatch door closed before they descended the metal stairs in silence, the only sound being the clunking of their boots as they headed for the nearest floor and then on to the elevator.

They waited quietly after Steve pressed the button to call for the lift, the silence seeming more awkward now, unsettled with the admissions that were now in the open, and neither were happy about it. Steve knew that she was upset about having to go back to the cell, just as much as he was for having to take her there again. And he knew that she was still trying to digest the years of her life spent in captivity, unknowing that the truth was far more incredible and harsher to believe.

The elevator dinged it's arrival, knocking them both from their sombre reverie as the metal doors slid open. With a deep calming breath, Cora stepped in first and immediately faced the door, Steve following suit to stand beside her before the doors closed once more and he stated their destination, the female voice of the elevator confirming his request.

"Hate this part." Cora said, her breath catching as the lift jumped to life and she felt her stomach trying to rise to her chest as they swiftly dropped down the tower. She closed her eyes to try and focus on something else, her fingers curling into anxious fists around the jacket's cuffs.

"Don't have far to go this time." Steve tried to reassure her with a gentle smile, his hands clasped in front of him as he tried to put her at ease and start a pleasant conversation, "Almost there."

Cora was about to smile in return for his comfort when the elevator abruptly jolted to a screeching stand-still, causing her to lose her balance in a panic until Steve instinctively grabbed her around the waist and pulled her close to steady her against him. He looked at the control panel that was now flashing red with an emergency stop, seeing that they were still a few floors up from their destination. The lift voice announced it's apologies for the error and that a maintenance crew would be along shortly.

"Damn it." He said under his breath before he looked back down at Cora and saw her hands were trembling as she grasped his arms, her face pointed directly at his chest with her breathing beginning to accelerate, "Cora?"

She didn't answer, instead he felt her legs beginning to give way and the lift seemingly trying to vibrate around them. Carefully, he knelt on the floor with her, her knees surrendering to her own weight as he eased her down.

"It's alright." He said, brushing aside the loose strands of hair from her face, seeing the struggling fearful expression on her features as her eyes were squeezed shut.

Around him he could feel the lift trembling, the metal rail that surrounded the space beginning to slowly bend away from them. She was losing control. The sudden fright when she was already on a fine thread had been too much.

"Cora, look at me." He asked quickly, his hands moving from her waist to cup her face and try to direct her gaze. It was then that he noticed two small orange lights: One on the metal collar and the other on the disc mounted at her temple. Steve knew immediately what it meant: They were now armed and ready to fire.

"Open your eyes." He asked, trying his best to stay calm though at any minute she could trigger the shock device, as well as potentially obliterate the elevator with her power.

He had no idea what level of her gift would set it off. So far she could get away with the vibrations and tremors, but she was clearly struggling to stop it going further as the rail squeaked under the crushing pressure.

"Cora you have to look at me." He demanded a little more firmly, causing her to tentatively open her frightened eyes to look directly at him, "Good. Now listen to me. Everything is fine, I promise. I know it was a shock and you're scared, but you need to calm back down. Just breath and focus on me."

"I can't." She replied quickly, sucking in a trembling jarring breath as if words might tip her over the edge.

"Yes you can. I've been seeing you do it all day, this is no different."

"Yes it is." She retorted, her lashes shaking free a trembling tear to slide down her face, "I'm trying not to hurt you. If I take my focus off the lift... and put it on you... I don't know what will happen."

Steve smiled with tenderness and sympathy, wiping his thumb across her flushed cheek to catch the stray tear, "I have faith in you. _You_ control _it_, not the other way around. Just look at me and forget everything else."

A small crack in the window popped, splintering the glass to make her gasp, but she forced herself not to look.

Steve kept his gently crooked smile even though his chest was pounding with concern, "Just you and me, Cora. Nothing else matters."

The rail continued to whine with the strain of bending, the floor vibrating beneath their knees as they locked their gaze to each other, her hands tightly clutching to his arms in desperate restraint. She could feel it pushing inside her like she had a second entity beneath her flesh, writhing and stretching, heaving against her resistance to try and break free. She could almost hear it laughing at her inside her head, mocking her attempt to fight back. She didn't know how much longer she could keep it at bay, her body shaking with fear. Fear of hurting Steve. That possibility alone petrified her with an intensity that bordered on impossible, but she knew without any doubt that if she could, she would sooner turn the beast upon herself if it meant his survival.

"Cora." He whispered, his face bowing a little closer to hers to keep her attention, still with an unafraid comforting smile covering his lips even though his nerves were trying to get the better of him. Despite the danger they were in, he couldn't deny the pleasure of being so close to her after so many years, but he forced it to the back of his mind for now. "The first time we met... You were wearing a red dress."

She blinked, her breath catching at his words as her brow furrowed with realisation, her interest peaked but confused at the same time. Steve felt the relief of his plan working as he intended, pressing on with more harmless details that she wanted to know about, in order to distract her from succumbing.

"And you had long waving hair and deep red lipstick, like a beautiful heroine from a movie. You were alone at the bar, waiting for a friend with a glass of wine. Bucky and I saw you from the back of the room as guys kept coming up to try and win you over, but you always politely declined. You always did have kind manners."

Steve noticed as he spoke that the rail had stopped creaking and the glass had ceased cracking now that she was beginning to calm and fall into his words. Her eyes were turning from frightened to a surprised awe, captivated in what he was saying because he was suddenly giving her a fragment of her past, painting a picture of a memory she had lost.

"When one of the guys decided to stroke your hair without your permission, I decided I had better get involved before he got bolder." He continued, pleasantly remembering that night and wishing he could somehow show her what he saw, "Before I reached you though, you had already thrown your wine in his face."

Steve felt his heart quiver as she smiled, giggling lightly as she sniffled, her eyes wet for another reason now. The vibrations beneath them were beginning to ease, and he sighed his relief as the orange lights on her restraints disappeared.

"You were never one for giving in or surrendering, Cora." He smiled, catching another tear on her cheek as he still held her face gently, "You're stronger than you know."

Her grasp on his arms relaxed, simply resting on his biceps comfortably as she breathed deep, "I guess I need to trust your judgement a little more when it comes to myself. You seem to know me better."

"Let me tell you something that you once told me." He said fondly, relishing the moment of her being before him, her radiant face between his hands. "You said... _'You clearly don't see within you what I do.'_ ... I know you, Cora. I know you're kind and fearless when it matters. Trust me on this."

Cora let his words sink into her, her face softening as a realisation tickled her mind: The way he spoke about her, about them... Could it be that they had been more than just friends after all? Was that why she felt such a bond and protective instinct with him? And if so... What should she do now?

She swallowed her thoughts for the moment, now not being the time for such romanticised notions. Especially considering that they were trapped in an elevator and she was practically a walking bomb when pushed.

"Thank you." She said finally, just above a whisper as she felt her palms trying to sweat beneath his deep blue gaze.

"Anytime." He replied. Slowly releasing her to stand up, he offered her his hand to help her from the floor, "Let's get these doors open, shall we?"

"How?" She asked, wiping her face clean of all her distress as she accepted his hand to get up, partly grateful for the distraction whilst her head was reeling about their past together.

Steve answered by pulling the doors apart with one arm, his teeth gritting a little with the heavy strain until they shifted back completely and locked into place. The tower floor at his eye-line was quite dark and erupting with chaos as people ran about the corridor with purpose. What was happening?

"How can you be that strong?" She asked with shock, dropping his gentle grasp on her fingers with disbelief. He had just forced the doors open with one hand and not even struggled. There was definitely more to him than just being a soldier.

"I work out." Steve replied with a slight hint of nonchalant humour as he turned and beckoned her forward. Normally he would go first for her safety during a situation like this, but he didn't want to leave her in the lift on her own for even a moment. "I'm gonna' lift you up, okay?"

"Alright." She nodded with uncertainty.

Stepping towards him, he respectfully grasped her low on the waist as her hands rested on his broad shoulders. Both of them had to sink their nerves, their suddenly intimate positioning threatening to trigger their shyness.

With ease, he lifted her up and placed her to sit on the edge of the highest floor before releasing her so she could lift up her legs. She scooted back across the smooth cold tiles and was about to reach forward to help Steve when he lithely vaulted up with no difficulty at all.

Helping her up from the floor, he noticed that there were some people running to the stairwell door, some from one of the task teams.

"Rumlow!" He called, halting one of the team leaders.

"Stay close." Said Steve to Cora, falling into his military training to deal with the problem that was obviously effecting more than just the elevator.

Cora nodded her understanding as she followed him towards the group of men, jogging a little to keep step before she decided to reign him in a little and carefully took a tight grasp on his right hand so she could keep up with his determined strides.

Steve's heart spluttered for a moment when he felt her fingers slide across his palm to clasp his hand, her hold just as perfectly soothing as he remembered, but he hid the smile that wanted to break free as now was not the time for such moments unfortunately.

"What's the situation?" He called dutifully as he reached Rumlow and the other men by the stairwell.

"Power's out over the whole complex, Cap." Replied Rumlow, "Everything from the lights to the security access controls."

"Got a radio?" He asked, accepting the ear piece that Rumlow handed him, "Thanks."

Quickly fitting it onto his ear, he clicked on the power in hopes of getting some answers, "Fury? Natasha? Can you hear me?"

"I hear you, Cap." Romanov answered, obviously flustered and running about, "Where the hell have you been?"

"Getting stuck in an elevator, what's going on?"

"We got into the encrypted files and a minute later it shut everything down."

"Booby-trapped?" He asked, his brow pulled in with surprise.

"Big time." Answered Natasha, "Whatever they did to your friend, they didn't want anyone to know about it."

"So how do we fix it?" He said, diverting what she had said to avoid the anger it would cause if he allowed his brain to think on it.

"We're working on it here, but we got some people trapped in Lab B on the 26th floor, and the fire protocol has been triggered. They're gonna' be running out of air soon and you're the closest muscle that can get the door open."

"I'm on it." Steve said, his authority and training kicking in, "Rumlow, I want you to spread out with the team, go floor by floor and make sure everyone is safe. Come across anymore team players you spread them to another floor. I'm heading for the 26th."

"Affirmative." Rumblow asked, pointing at the locked door of the stairwell, " Want to do the honours, Cap?"

Steve briefly released Cora's hand, stepped forward and rammed his boot into the door with a grunt, buckling the metal as it flew open under the attack.

"Thanks." Nodded the team leader, "Okay, guys, half up half down, you heard the Cap we got floors to clear and people to rescue. Let's go let's go!"

Steve stood aside as the trained SHIELD soldiers ran into the stairwell and split into formation, taking the steps a few at a time. He then quickly beckoned for Cora, offering his hand to take once again which she grasped without hesitation.

"What's happening?" Cora asked as she raced down the stairwell with Steve leading her by the hand, bypassing the task team as they splintered off onto different floors having shot out the door locks to gain access.

"The power is down in the building." Steve explained as he rushed, counting the floors down and avoiding the details of the encrypted files so not to alarm her, "Unfortunately that's very bad news as all doors are electronically locked so we've got people trapped."

"Why are we going to the 26th?" She called, struggling to keep up and not get dragged along.

"One of the labs has sealed shut with people inside. The fire protocol has been set off so the room is being pumped with carbon dioxide. We need to get them out before they run out of air."

"Oh my god." She breathed, pushing herself harder to hurry, practically jumping down the stairs.

Finally they reached the 26th floor and Steve kicked the door open, the metal denting viciously as they rushed into the corridor and immediately heard the commotion of people shouting down the hallway towards the lab.

Cora quickly pulled her hand from Steve's as they ran, making him look at her with confusion, "Don't wait for me, just go!"

Steve nodded once and pushed himself into a full sprint, leaving her trailing behind. He didn't like it, but he understood, as she did, the importance of time right now.

As he turned the corner he saw a group of agents trying to force the door open to the lab, a few others trying to break the large lab window with a chair which just bounced off pathetically. They were getting no closer to saving the scientists inside.

"Get out of the way!" He called as he neared them, watching as they immediately cleared away from the entrance.

Pulling up to an abrupt halt in front of the locked lab, he quickly glanced inside through the door window to see four people coughing on the floor as they struggled for oxygen.

With gritted teeth, he braced his foot against the door jam, grasping the handle as he tried to heave the solid metal and force it to slide open. His face contorted with the strain, groaning as fraction by fraction the door contested with metallic screeches.

Cora rushed to the scene, panting for breath as she helplessly watched Steve trying to rip the thick sliding door from it's gargantuan lock, but it was refusing to yield. She could see the scientists through the hallway window, slowly ceasing to move as they ran out of air. They didn't have long left. If only she could...

Finally, the Captain wrenched the door back just enough for him to partially slide inside and begin to push against it. Cora immediately rushed in to help, grabbing the door and pulling with all her strength until it suddenly surrendered to slide back all the way, making her fall against the door jam with panting breath as a scientist fell into the doorway, having been propped up against it. Some of the agents pulled the unconscious man out of the way to care for him as Steve rushed into the lab, grabbing the first unconscious scientist from the floor.

Cora stumbled into the room after him to try and help, coughing with the distinct lack of oxygen in the air. The Captain rushed by and carefully deposited the senseless man into the care of the agents outside as other workers ran into the lab to claim the other remaining scientists that lay strewn across the clean white floor.

As Cora rounded one of the desks in search of more survivors, she found an unconscious woman slumped against the wall. Coughing on the thick lingering carbon dioxide, Cora quickly hooked the woman beneath the arms and began to drag her across the floor towards the door, unable to carry her weight properly.

"Here!" She called, immediately following it by fitfully choking on the gas.

Steve was suddenly by her side, quickly taking over by scooping the woman up and taking her into the corridor. Cora followed them out to lean against the hallway wall, gratefully sucking in the breathable air as she watched the agents tend to the survivors.

"Are they alright?" She asked slightly breathlessly.

"I think so." Steve replied, standing back to allow the first aiders some room to help and to let him get his breath again. The carbon dioxide had been pretty thick in there.

"She's barely got a pulse!" One of the agents suddenly said. He was leaning over the woman Cora had dragged from the lab, his fingers pressed against her throat, "We need to get her to a hospital now."

Cora immediately stood up straight with panic, watching helplessly as the agent began to pump her chest, trying desperately to speed up her heart once again. The woman looked about her age with golden hair tied away from her sweet face. She looked like the sort of person that would be innocent and kind. The sort of person that the world needed.

"We're 26 floors up, Mike, and no elevator. She isn't gonna' make it down there in time." Panicked another worker beside the dying woman.

"Then what do you suggest? Let her die?" Shouted the first agent as he continued the chest compressions, "I'm just a first aider, I don't know how to reset her heartbeat if this doesn't work!"

"Guys, arguing isn't gonna' help her!" Shouted Steve, getting everyone's attention before he clicked on his handset, "Just keep doing what you're doing, Mike. Natasha? You hear me?"

"Little busy right now, Cap." She answered into his ear piece.

"I've got a woman here that needs an ambulance asap."

"Not sure if that's gonna' be possible. The site is on lock down, which means the doors to the castle are thoroughly shut until we fix this."

Steve breathed out his frustration, turning away from the others to speak a little quieter, "I don't know if she can last that long, her heart's failing."

Cora listened to his conversation though she couldn't hear Natasha on the other end, her worried eyes fixed on the agents trying to keep the woman's heart from giving in.

"Come on, Emily." Said the first aider with panting breath as he worked furiously to save her life, "You've got a little girl at home so don't you dare let go."

Something inside of Cora grabbed at her insides and squeezed with raw emotion, making her gasp with the intensity. She didn't know why his words had affected her so much, wrenching at her gut with grief and guilt. Regardless, without any doubt, she instantly made a choice.

Her resolve and hope kicked her into action as she lurched forward towards the dying woman and her medics, "Move away!"

The agents were startled but one allowed her passage, watching with confusion as she forcefully pushed the other first aider from the woman to make him fall backwards hard when he didn't listen to her. The commotion caught Steve's attention, making him turn to see Cora kneeling beside the woman with a determination on her features that rang the alarm inside his head.

Taking a deep breath for courage, Cora knew that she needed to act quickly before Steve figured out what she was about to try. Pressing her hand over the woman's chest, and raising the other towards the building's windowed wall and out into the world beyond, she focused hard and with purpose. She could already feel the tremors shaking the floor, the entity beneath her flesh pushing against her skin for release. Just one more calculated nudge, she thought, telling herself over and over that _she_ controlled _it_. Just a little harder, just one more push and...

"Cora, no!" Shouted Steve as he rushed forward to stop her, knowing what she was about to do with dreaded certainty.

Cora's wild eyes shot open as her breath was sucked into her lungs abruptly, as if the beast within her had just clutched at her soul before rushing to her head. Then it happened. She tried her best to focus the power, direct the animal that gnawed for freedom to surge out through her hand and take out the window in a neat contained shot, but it was stronger than she had anticipated. Suddenly the power blasted from her body, shattering the entire glass wall, the explosion flexing the window panes in a wave of destruction. The people around her were thrown back into the corridor wall, screaming and ducking for cover from the flying shards of glass.

Steve had only been a step away from Cora when he was slammed back with such force as to wind him, collapsing to the floor. Wincing from the pain as he tried to catch his breath, he lifted his head in time to see the collar trigger with it's full wrath. Her kneeling body tensed, arcing backwards with the cruel agony as blue shocks ravaged her, gritting her teeth against any screams to be choked by the pain.

However, Steve immediately saw that the savage electricity not only covered Cora, but was surging into the unconscious body of the scientist as her hand remained on the woman's chest, convulsing and twitching her limbs.

Steve quickly got from the floor and rushed to Cora's side, needing to help her somehow, make it stop before the shocks caused them both irrevocable damage. Sliding to his knees, he braced for what was to come as he enveloped her completely in his arms, pulling her convulsing body into him and away from the scientist. Steve immediately cried out through clenched teeth and determination, the constant piercing torment entering every part of his body as he clung to her, trying to somehow share the power of the collar in case it lessened the torture for her in turn.

Finally, the punishment ended and her limp unconscious body fell in his arms. He slumped forward, catching himself on one hand as he panted with relief and held her close in the other arm, his stomach doing nauseating somersaults in response to the shocks. He had truly pitied her the last time she had experienced the punishment, but knowing now the utter torture and suffering she endured only strengthened his admiration and pride for her, having just witnessed her voluntarily surrender to it in a courageous and selfless act.

The first aider quickly rushed over to the body of the woman beside him, checking her pulse after the onslaught that had just occurred. As Steve knelt back up and gently cradled Cora in his embrace, he wiped away the rivulet of blood from her nose as he felt her rushing heartbeat thudding against his chest.

"My god." Said the agent, his mouth agape with surprise as his finger pressed against the scientist's neck, "Her pulse... it's racing... and steadying!"

Steve smiled at the satisfying news, taking comfort in it so that Cora's brave act was not wasted after all, "I know. She triggered the collar to reset her heartbeat."


	9. Chapter 9 - Needles

**Hey Folks!**  
**Sorry for the delay, it's been chaos! First I got writer's block, then my internet was down for a while so couldn't post! **  
**Got there in the end though, and I hope I haven't driven you all crazy with the wait.  
****I'm still being blown away with your support. Candidate C42 is well on it's way to being one of the top Cap/OC stories! WOW!**  
**Current tally is 156 followers and 94 favourites! Just incredible, thank you so much!**

**Well, without further delay, here is the (slightly late) installment for July!**

**Here we go...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 9 - Needles.**

The steady electronic rhythm pinged close to Cora's head, marking the beats of her heart as her world slowly came into focus. The gently lit room was quiet and still, the air cool around the exposed skin of her forearms and face. She could feel that she was once again beneath the familiar crisp sheets of a hospital bed, the softness and curve of the mattress supporting her to sit up a little on the numerous pillows.

There was a rigid uncomfortable sting digging into the inside of her left elbow, and as she hazily looked to see the cause, she realised that it was a needle attached to a tube and a small sack of clear fluid on a metal stand beside her. It was then that she saw the large mirrored wall of her room, bouncing her groggy gaze back at her as she stared and blinked away the last of her sleep, revealing to her slow brain that she actually wasn't alone.

Cora smiled fondly at the reflection of her companion on the other side of the bed, just able to see his sleeping face that was cupped in his hand as he leant on the arm of his chair. Turning to look at him properly, she found him wearing his blue tactical uniform and slightly slumped in an uncomfortable looking chair, his elbow propped up to rest his head in his palm. She could almost imagine him sweetly nodding off against his will.

She lay quietly, just watching him sleep and cataloguing his features in hopes of triggering something of her past. Something of _their_ past: He had a strong but kind face with a chiseled jaw and long eyelashes that rested on his cheekbones. His smooth skin was always cleanly shaven, promising to be soft if she were to touch, contrasting charmingly with the short spiky style of his sandy brown hair. Finally, he had full pink lips that would plump up his cheeks ever so slightly when he smiled, something that she found to be quite adorable, especially with his shy crooked smirk.

He was certainly handsome, there was no contest about that. Practically the ideal of an Adonis, though she was certain that compliment would more than likely make him blush. However, more important than his physical characteristics was his personality. He was a gentleman: Kind, brave, thoughtful and selfless. Since all of this had begun, he had stayed with her, comforting and helping her in whatever way possible without asking for anything in return. And in some cases, he protected her. Even from herself when she felt she could crumble at any moment. He had shown her the quality of his heart without any form of ego or arrogance, and she found it very endearing. Actually, if she was to be honest with herself, she found it.. _him_... to be very attractive. For all those reasons and more besides. Including something deep down in the recesses of her intuition and lost memories that strengthened her high opinion of him beyond what she had learnt over the last few days. There was something hiding, hinting at their past and his character.

She was certain after what had happened, how he had acted with her and the things he had said, that they had once been closer than he led her to believe. That their affections flowed more deeply that just friendship. But _how_ deep exactly, she still didn't know yet. However, she found herself rather looking forward to finding that out.

Bracing her hands on the bed either side of her hips, she attempted to sit up a little better with the intention of getting to her feet to stretch her legs, but the moment she lifted her weight, the needle in her elbow viciously dug into her flesh, causing her to yelp and drop herself instantly.

She suddenly gasped, her eyes wide with shock as a terrible memory slapped her across the face with it's brutality: Strapped tightly to a cold metal table, her face contorted and flushed as she bit down hard on a gum shield in her mouth, she screamed against the agony as she was continually shocked through pads on her head, just enough to stop her from using her powers but keep her conscious. They were drilling deep into her leg, grinding through to the bone as the machine's screeching battled to out-do her cries of pain, whilst scientists watched and recorded the experiment.

"Cora!"

The memory stopped, releasing her from the nightmare as she panted heavily with distress. She could feel a cold sweat dampened her skin now, the heart monitor racing to echo inside the room as she stared blankly at her legs, trying to make sense of what she had just seen. She knew her captors had tested on her, but never had she imagined that kind of cruelty and torture. What was it for?

"Cora?"

She blinked, her attentions brought back to the present as she suddenly realised that Steve was standing beside her, his strong warm hands holding her shoulders with care as he looked at her with concern, patiently waiting for her to gather her wits.

The bed was still vibrating beneath her, the chair and monitors jittering on the floor in response to her unstable emotions, the beast inside her trying to test the barriers by prodding her chest and stomach.

Taking a deep breath as she closed her eyes, she recalled what Steve had told her about their first meeting, creating the scene as she imagined it inside her mind to focus on that instead. After a few moments, the shaking of the room ceased and the heart monitor slowed to a relatively normal beat.

"I'm alright." She said quietly, staring down at her legs, determined to not allow her power to overcome her again, "I just.. remembered something that was a little... disturbing."

"What was it?" He asked gently, perching beside her on the bed as he removed his hands respectfully, his brow drawn with sincere interest.

"I don't think you want to know that." She replied, nervously swallowing, her throat feeling dry as she tried to clear it politely.

Steve leant over to the bedside table and came back with a small glass of water that had been there, thoughtfully offering her the drink to make her smirk with gratitude as she accepted and took a sip.

"Yes I do." He reassured her, "If you remember anything at all about your captivity, I would like to know. Good or bad. It might help us understand what happened."

Cora rested the glass on her knee, cupping it in her palms, "I don't know what it could possibly tell you, other than confirming that they are bastards of the lowest order. Pardon my language."

Steve couldn't help the smirk that tweaked his lips in response to her British politeness when cussing. It had always amused him.

"No problem." He replied, standing from the bed to return to his chair and give her some space, "Tell me what you saw."

Taking a deep breath to reaffirm her calm and control, she looked up to speak to him directly rather than to her legs. His soft blue eyes were instantly comforting to her as he waited patiently, leaning forward on his knees.

"I was strapped to a table, screaming my lungs out whilst they continuously shocked me so I couldn't use my power. I remembered trying to. I could feel myself _trying_ to make them stop, but the shocks... It was impossible for me to fend them off. I was bound to the table and I couldn't do a thing about it as they watched, shocking and drilling..."

"Drilling?" Steve suddenly queried with dread at the possibility.

Cora nodded, "Into my leg. I don't know why, I just... felt..."

She slowed her sentence to a stop as a thought eased her brow to crease with curiosity. Gently, she pushed the crisp sheet down her legs slightly, just enough for her to see the middle of her right leg where she remembered the drill piercing and grinding into the bone.

It was light, barely noticeable on her fair skin as she brushed her fingers over the small round scar left behind from the experiment.

"Is that normal?" She asked, looking up as he got to his feet to see the mark on her skin, his features creased with the same confusion.

The scar was at least an inch in diameter, almost like a gun shot, but such a wound from a drill that size should not have left such a light neat mark behind. Even on Steve, it would have been darker and raised with the contortion of it's healing. How had she healed so cleanly?

Steve subtly wiped away the concern so not to worry her, "I guess you're a quick healer."

"Did I used to be?" She asked boldly, pointing out the possibility that her captors had done something else to her during the experiments.

He didn't want to lie again. He had had enough of lying to the one woman he considered to be his world. In his eyes, this wasn't something he needed to keep from her.

"Perhaps." He replied with honesty, "If you were before you were taken, then I never knew about it. But try not to worry, Cora. Being able to heal so well is hardly a curse."

"I suppose so." She agreed softly, though he could see that it still bothered her, "But why would they do this? Drill into my leg. What would they gain?"

"I don't know." He replied slightly mournfully, "Sometimes evil men do things that we'll never truly understand."

She took a deep breath to cleanse away the horrors of her memory. It wasn't exactly what she had hoped for for her first recollection.

Smoothing the sheets back over her legs, she chose to change the subject, "What happened after I passed out? Is the woman alright?"

Steve smirked slightly, aware of her change of topic as he returned to his seat again, "Yes, she's fine. Thanks to you. That was a very brave thing you did. Though... extremely dangerous."

"I know, I'm sorry." She replied repentantly, "I thought I could control it, I didn't know I would put everyone in danger..."

"That's not what I meant." He interrupted gently, his words grabbing her attention to look at him with a silent question, "Shocking yourself, Cora... It's not to be taken lightly. The sheer power of that collar could cause you irrevocable damage."

"I had to do something." She replied quietly, though she clearly didn't regret her actions, "She has a child. I wasn't going to let that little girl's mother die when I could potentially save her. You would have done the same, and don't try to deny it."

"You're right, I would have." He said lightly, "But I'm bigger than you."

Cora looked at him incredulously, a smile playing on her lips at his light joke, enjoying how his crooked cheeky smirk plumped his face. She then remembered something about him that needed to be clarified, and now was the perfect time for it.

She sat up straighter, her smirk turning a little more confident, "Also strong. Stronger I think than a normal man who works out at the gym."

Steve's smile melted away, his face turning down to his clasped hands knowing that he couldn't explain away what she had witnessed. He wouldn't insult her intelligence like that, but he wasn't entirely sure what to say and what to leave out for now.

"I'm not the only one in this room with... unusual gifts." She looked at him gently, "Am I?"

The captain released a calming breath and looked up to answer, determined not to be flustered by her unexpected claim, "No. You're not."

Her smile in response was one of the brightest he had seen on her wonderful features. Clearly she was thrilled.

"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked, a hint of excitement brushing her words.

"I didn't want to frighten you. You barely knew me and were trying to understand your own power, so I thought perhaps one thing at a time might be best."

"Thank you. That was very thoughtful." She smiled softly with gratitude, "So... are you just strong or are you capable of other feats?"

"Well... It's a long story but to cut it short... I'm kind of a super soldier. Fast, strong... Can eat a lot for breakfast."

She giggled lightly, "Is that why your metabolism runs so quickly? Because you're... different?"

Steve smirked at the fact she remembered that little detail about him, "Yeah. Unfortunately it also means I can't get drunk. That can be inconvenient."

"Although it could also be a blessing considering your strength. I can imagine things being broken rather easily."

"Good point." He chuckled, enjoying this small act of trust between them. It reminded him of old days, "And I'm glad that I don't ... _unnerve_ you now that you know the truth about me."

Cora smiled fondly, "I know you to be too kind hearted to be intimidating. Besides, it's kind of nice to have that sort of common ground with you. Like a support."

"I always will support you, Cora, I've never done any different." He said, "But you have to promise me something. To ease _my_ mind."

"If I can, then I will of course."

"Promise me that you won't purposely trigger the collar again." He asked softly.

"I..." She paused, her smile disappearing as she looked away for a moment.

"I felt those shocks, Cora." Steve said, "When you started convulsing, I held onto you."

"You did what?" She gasped, her mouth dropping open with surprise, "Why?"

"To try and share the pain. Halve the power of the shocks to lessen the chance of damage to you. So I know exactly how strong that collar is, and it's a wonder you can still talk after triggering it twice."

"I never meant for you to get hurt." She said mournfully.

"I know. But I'm not willing to stand by and let you suffer either." Steve replied, his eyes intense with his resolve, "I would do it again without a second thought."

Cora held his gaze, seeing his sincerity and the strength of his words. She knew without any doubt that he meant what he said, and she felt her stomach flutter slightly.

"And _I_ can't let you do that." She replied, taking a deep breath, "I guess I have a good reason to stay out of trouble. I promise, but... it doesn't count if your life in danger."

"Cora..."

"That's my condition." She interrupted firmly, "No negotiation about it. If your life is at risk for whatever reason then I will do what I feel I must without hesitation."

Steve was slightly dumbstruck at hearing that confession from her lips. Her firm beautiful gaze slowly softened, her glistening earthy eyes blinking as she looked away with a streak of blush on her cheeks and a slight rise in her heart rate that the monitor so graciously announced to the room.

"What I mean is..." She added, her voice softer with a hint of embarrassment, "You've done so much for me. Helped me and been here with me, especially when it counted. And I think I'm beginning to recall our bond from years ago, feeling things... emotions and instincts, including... being a little protective over you. The idea of you being hurt is... unthinkable, so that is my condition to your promise. I won't be swayed."

Steve smirked fondly, watching the play of emotion on her face as she stared at her knees, a mixture of stubbornness, shyness, care and the perplexity of her feelings towards him, "Then I guess I have a good reason to stay out of trouble."

Cora didn't look at him at first, but her smile was immediate as she recognised his imitation of her words and the seal of their agreement, "So, you never did answer. What happened after I passed out?"

"Well..." Steve began with a comfortable sigh, looking away as he thought, "As you can see we got the power back on, but it took a while."

"How long have I been out for?" She asked, remembering that she still held a glass of water before she took another sip.

"Only since yesterday this time. You seem to be getting a handle on being unconscious."

"Practice makes perfect." She smiled, enjoying how he chuckled at her joke, a small waft of his scent floating passed her to risk speeding up the heart monitor again, "And the data?"

"Most of it was destroyed or corrupted. They might only be able to salvage a small fraction of it. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." She replied, "I'll just have to remember the old fashioned way. Hopefully it will be something better next time."

A hi-tech beeping interrupted their conversation, making Steve stand up to fish out the sleek phone from one of his belt pouches. He quickly read the alert that was urgently requesting for him to attend Fury's office.

"Duty calls again?" She asked, slightly disappointed.

"Maybe. Hopefully I won't be long."

"No rush, Captain. It's not like I'm going anywhere." She smiled coyly, wiggling her finger with the heart monitor clamped on it for emphasis.

* * *

"You wanted to see me?" Steve asked as he strode into the bright office of Nick Fury who was sat in his chair behind a glass desk, Natasha standing patiently beside it.

"That I did, Cap'ain." He answered, casually getting up out of his chair, "We salvaged something you might wanna' see."

Steve's heart jumped at his words, his hopes climbing against his will at the thought of finding something to help Cora.

"Secure office." Fury commanded of the building's integrated security, commencing a full lock down of the spacious room, the large glass windows darkening to black. Removing a small data drive from his pocket, he plugged it into the reader on his desk, "Open file: _Candidate C42 dash 1.7... _Director authority: Fury, Nicholas .J."

"Access authorized." Confirmed the female voice of the security system.

Steve turned towards the extensive wide screen monitor mounted on the wall, his arms folding over his chest with keen interest as a video file opened. The playback fuzzed on occasion and there was no sound, but the imagery that suddenly flashed onto the screen made Steve immediately stand up straighter with horror, his arms slowly dropping to his sides and his mouth silently falling aghast.

Cora was strapped to a table that was tilted upright, her hair falling in damp tendrils and her skin shining with frightened sweat, her gaze scared and manic. She was wearing the same body suit as when he had found her, the collar glinting around her neck beneath the oxygen mask that covered her mouth and nose. There were so many needles piercing her skin that he felt the hair on his neck stand on end with rage.

Each needle was connected to a tube that began to pump an unknown yellow fluid into her hyperventilating and terrified body. The effect was almost instantaneous, her head slamming back against the table as her eyes and hands scrunched closed in agony, trying to writhe against her restraints. He could see the veins in her arms and neck rising with whatever they were injecting her with, before the video feed scrambled and cut out.

Steve was silently fuming, his fists balled so tightly that he thought his knuckles might split beneath his fingerless leather gloves, "What were they doing to her?"

"We have a fragment of the next file." Fury replied, avoiding answering the question directly, "It's time stamped about an hour after this one."

"What is it?"

"Take a look for yourself." He gestured to the screen before speaking to the security system again, "Open file: _Candidate C42 dash 1.8... _Director authority: Fury, Nicholas .J."

"Access authorized."

The video flashed onto screen, making Steve's stomach tense with apprehension and shock. The footage was from a camera mounted high up in the corner of a large metal room with various objects, both small and very large, surrounding Cora. She was kneeling and chained to the floor by her wrists, her body arcing back as she screamed intensely, the items surging around her at speed as if she was the eye of a storm. The chaos was building enough momentum to embed a scrapped truck into the solid titanium wall where it began to rip apart a bit at a time, still caught in the whirlwind of energy that was being released. Some of the smaller objects began to burn up and drift away into fiery embers. That was before the walls themselves began to balloon outwards, deep pits starting to cave the metal, not able to withstand her power.

Suddenly she went rigid, a blue shock exploding from the collar on her neck to cover her body. The objects and debris immediately stopped, seemingly floating on the air until she finally collapsed unconscious with the destruction clattering to the floor around her. The video ended.

"We pieced together what was left of the written data that was housed with these videos." Natasha explained, walking around from the side of the desk as Fury moved to sit down in his chair, disconnecting the data drive, "It looks like they were testing her, seeing what kind of power she was capable of raising. The fluid they pumped her with was a neural inhibitor and a hallucinogen to make sure she couldn't control her emotions. She would have had no chance to stop herself from using her gift."

"They thought that her power might be more than just telekinetic." Nick picked up, turning the data drive over in his fingers, "And after her impressive display outside the lab, I'm inclined to believe them."

"More than?" Queried Steve anxiously.

"Did you see how some of the objects burnt up?" He asked in return, gesturing to the screen that had shown the footage. Steve nodded slowly in reply, "Telekinetics don't do that."

"They thought that maybe the telekinesis was just the starting point for her power." Natasha explained, her arms crossing over her chest with the seriousness of the situation, "They thought it could be possible for her to manipulate energy. Transfer it for telekinesis, or even collect and release it for displays like you just saw: The energy was so great that it turned objects to cinders. She could be a living weapon if the right buttons were pushed correctly. Or even the mother of an army if they could isolate the genes."

"And did they?" Asked Steve, his arms crossed once again to hide the tight fists that wanted to get hold of the scientists.

"No way to be sure with the data we recovered."

"More importantly, Cap. The time stamp on that last video started 5 seconds in." Nick interrupted, getting to his feet to put the drive in his pocket and to address Steve with his hands calmly behind his back, standing in his black high collared uniform, "It ended at 12. Without any form of control, she managed to go from zero to chaos in 12 seconds before they had to pull the plug and shut her down by force."

Steve had a feeling where this conversation was heading, and he was certainly not in the mood for it after what he had just seen. He had just witnessed the woman he loves being tortured. Now was not the time to push him.

"You're not gonna' lock her up, Nick." He threatened with calm menace, "You know I wouldn't allow it."

"Did I suggest locking her up?" Fury retorted, leaning forward on the desk as if he had just been insulted, "Do you think I want to see that girl imprisoned for the rest of her life?"

"Yes." Steve's answer was quick and simple, and cut Fury deep.

"You're wrong about me, Cap." He replied calmly as he stood up straight, his face unamused, "She's dangerous, I've made no secret of my opinion, and this data only strengthens that. She has fierce and unstable capabilities that could do a lot of harm, but you continue to have faith in her control. And after the incident with the lab... Well, I'm inclined to start believing too."

Steve blinked at that admission, completely taken off guard with the unexpected direction his speech had taken. And it made him suspicious of the sudden change of heart.

"We've seen what she's capable of doing when she loses her focus, but I also know about her ability to step up to the plate and deal with it when it counts." He continued, his hands finding his pockets as he strolled to the side of the desk and perched there, "However, it still might just be _one slip_ that could kill a whole lotta' people. Just one mistake. A bad memory, a nightmare, or maybe an unexpected shock. So... I've already called Dr Banner. He should be here tomorrow and will be advising her on how to remain in control of herself. I'm also arranging for one of our training halls to be adapted for her use. Somewhere that she can... practice."

"Practice?" Steve asked, the answer to his suspicion seemingly teetering on the edge of discovery.

"She has a lot of power. And I think it would be better to see it with a controlled purpose rather than being constrained from fear. That kind of thing leads to accidents."

"Get to the point." Steve said abruptly.

"We think her abilities could be a useful addition to SHIELD." Natasha answered honestly, "Should she learn to harness them, she could have a place here. Start fresh."

And there it was.

"No." He replied firmly.

"Steve, just let us explain..."

"I said no!" He yelled fiercely, "She's spent decades being someone's toy, do you think I'm going to let that happen again? Have her be used for your own gain?"

"You got it all wrong." Fury calmly interjected, standing from his perch on the desk, "She won't be an experiment here. No scientist is gonna' so much as put her on a treadmill, I guarantee that. No more experiments, needles or deep-freeze. We can be a real asset to her, as much as she can be to us."

"She doesn't want to be your asset, Nick. She just wants her life back!" Steve bellowed, turning to march for the door to avoid breaking the furniture with the anger he felt.

"And can you give that to her, Rogers?!" Fury called, making him stop in his tracks, "Can you give her back the last seventy years of her life and pretend nothing is different? Did _you _manage that?"

Steve's head bowed, his teeth gritted as his hands rested on his hips with annoyance. He knew the answer very clearly: No. No, he couldn't give her back the life she had lost. He couldn't even do that for himself when he had tried. He had had to create a new life as best as he could, and now she would eventually have the same struggle if... _when_ she found out the truth. Nothing would be the same for either of them, no matter how hard he tried.

"Of course not. You're not a miracle worker." Nick continued, "But at least with us she can have a safe, positive start at a new life. The people that did all this to her did it with a lot of purpose and effort, and if I were them I wouldn't be giving up so easily when it comes to getting her back."

Steve slowly turned at that comment, the words registering with him. He hadn't really thought about them trying to find her yet, what with everything else happening he was more focused on helping Cora cope. Now that he thought about it, he realised without any doubt that they _would_ come for her. She was too important.

"SHIELD can help keep her off the grid, we already got people looking into who did this so we can put them down." Nick said with conviction, "In the meantime, we can give her training and help her to control her power so that she can protect herself if need be, as well as using her skills to help others. Personally I don't want to see the day that they find her unprepared. Do you?!"

He didn't answer. He didn't know what to say. All he wanted for her was to have a new happy life, not one where she would always have to look over her shoulder or be imprisoned for national security. But Steve was slowly beginning to understand that everything had changed the moment she had been taken. The world had changed, and so had she. So had Steve. They would have to adjust as best they could in a world they barely knew anymore, with the abilities that separated them from everyone else.

"She would train under your authority, so what you say goes." Natasha added, trying to smooth the issue with her talent for persuasion, "She's most comfortable with you anyway, and Dr Banner will help with her control. She won't always be staying contained here, of course. Just until we're satisfied that she won't lose it in public, and that her trail for anyone looking has been lost. Then we can arrange an apartment for her if that's what she wants. She will have a fairly normal life, Steve. No less than you. And you'll be with her the whole way. "

"Talk it over with her, Cap'ain." Fury added, "It's a big decision. For both of you."

* * *

Leaning casually against the rail of the glass elevator, his arms crossed over his uniformed chest, Steve contemplated the happenings of the day before. Specifically his conversation with Cora after Fury's offer to join SHIELD, explaining everything that it entailed. Of course, he hadn't mentioned the footage or the possibility of her power being greater than she knew. One thing at a time.

He wasn't going to deny that the idea felt a little raw on his conscience, and neither did it sit well with the part of him that wanted her out of harm's way and be able to live the normal life she deserved. However, he had to keep reminding himself that she wasn't ordinary, she wasn't an average person you may pass in the street anymore. In fact, she was extraordinary, and that meant her life would be too. He couldn't keep her wrapped in cotton wool for the rest of her life, she needed to spread her wings and rediscover herself. Which is why he accepted her answer when she wholeheartedly agreed to Fury's offer.

She had been excited, even relieved to have a hope to work towards: The bright glow of control, understanding, allies... Memories. As part of her acceptance, she had made him promise to help her remember everything of her past life, whether it was painful or not. It was her history, and she needed to know it if she would ever be able to grow and learn from it. He knew it would be hurtful for her to hear when he eventually revealed the truth of her disappearance, but he had come to terms with the fact that it was necessary. She so wanted to know what had happened, to reclaim what had been taken. And he knew now that he had been wrong to keep it from her for so long, even if it was to protect her. He had no right to keep her life from her or to decide what was best for her. He just had to believe in her strength and resilience to be able to cope with what was to come, and hope that it was the right course. And pray that she wouldn't hate him in return.

The elevator pinged it's arrival, the doors sliding open to the busy tower floor. Striding out of the lift, he made his way along the corridors, dodging the passing staff as he drew closer to Natasha's private quarters. She did have her own apartment in the city, but she also had a small self-contained residence in the tower for her own convenience between missions. It was here that she had spent the first few hours of the morning with Cora, fulfilling her promise of a new wardrobe and haircut. It was nice to see Cora beginning to trust others.

Steve stopped outside Natasha's quarters and rapped on the door. A few seconds later, he could hear someone directly moving on the other side, "It's just me, Natasha. Can I come in?"

"One second." She called back, followed by some whispering and hurried walking, "Door's open."

With a crooked smirk and a small deep breath, Steve opened the door and stepped in, immediately looking for Cora in the room. He found her in under a second, freezing to the spot only a few steps into the doorway and still holding onto the doorknob. She stood in the middle of the floor with a sweet bashful look on her radiant blushing features, the dark circles and pallid skin of her ordeal a thing of the past. Her newly cut hair draped in long waves over her shoulders and around her face in almost the same style she had always worn before she had been taken from him, and her slim curvaceous figure was wrapped in a flattering linen shirt, with tight jeans that tucked into brown calf boots. The style was different yet still her own somehow, and his slightly dumbstruck reaction showed his admiration.

"What do you think?" Cora asked with a slight edge of sweet uncertainty.

Steve straightened up, letting go of the door finally as he cleared his throat and tried to recover from his slightly embarrassing reaction, "You look... fantastic."

"I will admit that it feels... odd somehow. Like I'm not used to this sort of thing." She smiled, fiddling with her rolled up sleeves.

"Well we can always experiment, see what suits you best." Said Natasha as she stood by the Captain having enjoyed his shocked awe when he entered. It was exactly what she had hoped for.

"Thank you." Said Cora genuinely, "I really appreciate it."

"Anytime." Natasha replied, "I'll see you both later. They're arranging for some new quarters for you, Cora, and I'll let you know when they're ready. Steve, Dr Banner is already in the lab."

"Thanks." Steve smiled gratefully, "We'll be heading up there in a minute."

"I'm on coms if you need me." She added, turning for the door, "Play nice."

Cora smiled brightly at her joke, watching as she closed the door behind her to leave them with some quiet privacy.

"So... Dr Banner." Cora began, trying to raise a conversation amidst the almost palpable affection in the air, his gentle eyes and smirk doing nothing to calm her pulse when she needed to be calm and focused for what was to come, "What's he like?"

"Probably the nicest, and smartest, guy you'll meet." Steve answered, his thumbs comfortably tucking into the front of his belt as he tried not to allow himself to be overwhelmed by his emotions. She really did look beautiful.

"That's a relief." She chuckled lightly.

"Nothing to be nervous about." He said, though the one very large green exception tried to warn him against that statement, "Bruce is quite possibly the foremost expert on controlling emotions. You're in safe hands."

"Thank you. Shall we? Wouldn't like to keep him waiting."

"Oh, of course." Steve replied quickly, knocking his thoughts back to the task at hand as he opened the door for Cora, enjoying her grateful smile as she walked passed, trailing a fresh alluring scent behind her. Almost exactly the same to what she used to wear. Interesting.

* * *

The metal door of the private lab slid open to reveal a large bright room with floor to ceiling windows and various lab desks, counters, equipment, and transparent computer screens. It seemed to be the epitome of modern technology to Cora, the environment trying to unnerve her against her will for some reason, but she refused to allow it. She was safe here, with Steve. Science labs no longer meant experiments to her.

"Cora, this is Dr Bruce Banner." Steve introduced as he led the way to meet him across the lab, "He's a scientist. Mainly. Dr Banner, this is Cora."

Bruce looked up from his laptop and smiled a little cautiously as he walked out from behind the lab desk to offer his hand courteously in greeting, "Pleased to meet you."

Cora graciously accepted his gentle handshake, "Pleasure."

"You didn't mention she was English, Steve." Banner said slightly cheerfully, delighting in her crisp civilised pronunciation compared to the local accents.

"Must have slipped my mind, Bruce." He replied with a coy smirk as he crossed his hands in front of him casually, "It's easy to miss, I barely notice myself."

Cora laughed lightly at his teasing, feeling more relaxed with the lightened atmosphere.

Dr Banner seemed to be quite a sweet man with a steady but gentle voice, and a head of dark waves which currently cushioned his steel rimmed glasses that were positioned on top. He was smartly dressed in a grey suit but without a tie, the jacket resting on the back of his stool so he could roll up the sleeves of his purple shirt, which suggested to her that he wasn't afraid of getting stuck into physical work or he had been labouring for a while now. Either way, it was an endearing trait to her.

"So..." Dr Banner began, stretching out the word a little as he tried to think of how to bring up the reason he was here without being insensitive, "I hear you're quite... talented."

"That's one way of putting it, I suppose." She smiled, amused at his tactful ways, "I appreciate your kindness, Doctor, but there's no need to tip toe around it. I've accepted what I can do. I just need a little help with it."

"And that's where I come in, I take it?" Bruce asked gently, "Nick was a little vague."

"Cora doesn't remember anything of what happened to her before she woke up in the hospital. Including how to control her telekinetic power."

"Okay..." Bruce sighed lightly, resting his hands on his hips in thought, "And you think I can somehow... coach her? To control herself? Really think I should be your first choice for this?"

"No one better for the job in my eyes." Steve replied with a crooked smile.

"Steve said that you're rather good at controlling your emotions, Doctor." Cora said slightly hopefully, "I'm... struggling. The only thing keeping me in check is this collar and I'd rather not live the rest of my life under the threat of electrocution."

Bruce blinked, his brow furrowing slightly with concern, "So it shocks you... If you lose control?"

"If I use my power above a certain level, I think."

"Did SHIELD..." Banner began to ask with slight irritation.

"No, Bruce." Steve interrupted before the good doctor could get too annoyed, "It was her captors that put it on her as a way of keeping her compliant. But Fury won't allow it to be removed until she has full control of her gift."

"And to be honest, I won't allow it either." Cora added, making both of the gentlemen look at her with surprise, "I won't be responsible for hurting anymore people. I've done my share. So, if you could perhaps teach me, Dr Banner...?"

"Bruce, please." He interjected with a small smile, "And I'll do what I can, but I'm not fool proof. Even I have my moments of weakness."

"What exactly... _is_ your weakness, if you don't mind me asking?" She inquired gently, making Steve look at the scientist cautiously, "Why do you need control?"

"Well... erm..."

"Because he's a big green rage monster if he doesn't." A new voice suddenly said, making everyone whirl around to look at the entrance. Who stood there immediately made Steve's jaw tense.

Stood in the doorway in jeans and a tight fitted black shirt was a man that seemed to ooze style, sarcasm, confidence and wit. He was leant on the table by the door, his hands in his pockets and one foot crossed behind the other in a relaxed stance as he smiled casually at them.

The first thing Cora noticed was the strange glowing shapes that emanated from his chest beneath his shirt, unlike anything she had seen before. She then directed her gaze back up to his face before she could be caught staring.

He had dark short spiky hair with a perfectly trimmed goatee framing his strong jaw. He wasn't overly muscular, nothing compared to the Captain, but he was athletic and gave off an air that there was more to him than meets the eye. Cora wasn't entirely sure what to make of him.

He released a short whistle as he stood up straight and walked over to them, "Didn't tell me she was a looker, Cap."

"Why are you here, Stark?" Said Steve with instant irritation as he ignored his question.

"Oh Fury asked me to come by and check this beautiful lady out." He replied with a hint of sarcasm as he held out his hand to her, "Tony Stark."

"Cora Elizabeth Pritcher." She replied, tentatively accepting his hand for a shake as she tried to gauge the kind of man that he was. He was certainly the playful sort that liked to toy with the Captain, and it was obvious that Steve disliked Tony. She just didn't quite know the reason yet. "Pleased to meet you, Mr Stark."

"Oh and she's English too." He said, shaking his head from a playful daze, "Be still my beating heart. And call me Tony. Only the Cap here calls me Mr Stark, though he seems adamant to leave out the title part."

"I'm not gonna' ask you again..." Steve pressed, getting more agitated by his flirting with Cora.

"Oh calm down before you blow an icicle." Stark responded, letting go of Cora's hand to walk over to the other lab desk as he spoke, "I'm here to figure out how to take the collar off our guest here."

"She isn't ready yet..."

"And when she is, we will be too." Stark retorted as he hopped onto a stool and twirled in his seat for a moment.

"Wait wait wait, go back for a second." Cora interrupted thoughtfully, "What did you mean by 'big green rage monster'?"

"Exactly what I said, sweetheart." Stark answered, getting up out of his chair to move to a holographic computer screen where he began to sift through files.

"I had... a bit of an accident." Bruce piped in to the conversation a little meekly, "Involving gamma radiation. Now if I get angry, I turn into..."

"The Hulk." Stark interrupted, clicking a video feed and swinging the screen around to show her the footage of the Hulk in action. Cora's eyes bulged in response. "Our resident green rage monster that can level a small town with one belch."

"That's hardly fair, Stark." Steve said defensively.

"It's kinda' true though." Bruce responded shyly, his hands slipping into his pockets as he saw Cora's reaction, "And now you know why I have such good control."

"But you're so... calm." She pointed out with disbelief.

"I have to be."

"Unlike Cap here." Stark pointed out sarcastically, "Really, did you get a chunk of ice lodged somewhere? You'd think seventy years as a capsicle would chill you out a bit."

"Tony..." Bruce tried to interject.

"No no, it's sweet that you try and defend him, Doc, it really is, but he could learn a lot from our lady here. She's been frozen even longer and you don't see her acting like a pompous..."

"Stark!" Steve barked suddenly, his authority and threat echoing in the lab to finally grab Tony's attention. More importantly, it directed his attention towards Cora.

She stood wide eyed, breathless and staring at the floor as she grasped the lab desk with one hand tightly. Her breathing was deepening, her free hand beginning to shake as she tried to fathom what Tony had just inadvertently admitted.

"Seventy years?" She said quietly, her voice trembling, "I was gone for seventy years?"

"Cora you need to keep calm..." Steve began, trying to ease her back down before she set off the collar.

"You're lying." She accused Stark with a firm jaw, physically struggling against herself as pens and books on the desk began to lightly vibrate on the polished surface, "It's not possible, you have to be lying."

"You hadn't told her?" Tony asked, his brow furrowed with aggression and disgust that they had kept it from her.

Steve looked at him with wrath burning in his glare, his fists curling with the need to punch out _all_ his lights, but Cora needed him more right now.

"Cora..." He began, stepping forward to try and soothe her, but she wrenched away from him, stepping backwards towards the door as her eyes began to tear up with a chaotic mixture of grief, disbelief and anger.

"You said you knew me... That I was just gone for _seven_ years." She stated with accusation, looking straight at Steve, "You lied to me."

"I do know you, Cora." He replied gently, standing in front of her as more objects within the lab began to jitter in response to her emotions, "I said seven because I had to tell you something to put you at ease."

"Why didn't you just tell me?!" She yelled fiercely, small objects in her near vicinity skidding away from her outburst as the orange lights triggered on the collar and the disk on her temple. Stools and chairs began to join in with the clatter, dancing across the floor with the energy she was unintentionally releasing.

"Because I know what it's like to wake up having lost everything you've ever known." He said gently, stepping forward a bit at a time, fully aware of the small alert light on her collar and silently praying for it not to change to something worse. The doctors had told him in confidence that her brain could only take so many more electrocutions before irreversible damage set in. She couldn't take anymore punishment.

"When you woke up you didn't know me." He explained softly, "You didn't remember anything. I wanted you to have a chance at a new life, Cora. One where you get to start over without mourning the old one. I didn't want you to suffer the shock and depression that I did, knowing that you had lost seventy years. I just wanted to protect you."

Tears were running down her face, her breathing beginning to speed up even faster as papers began to fly about the lab. Suddenly she started to stumble, her lungs seemingly not getting enough air as she struggled to draw breath. Steve rushed in quickly to catch her as her legs gave way, holding her steadily, kneeling on the floor as she succumb to a panic attack.

Steve briefly heard Bruce requesting a med team over the radio, but his attention was more on the woman who was struggling to not fall apart in his arms. The lab was still vibrating with her power, unable to reign it in but not powerful enough to trigger the collar yet, though the small orange light still threatened a punishment if she pushed too far.

"It's alright, Cora." He tried to soothe her, cradling her cheek in one of his hands to make her look him in the eye, "Just try to breathe evenly. Just... Cora!"

Her eyes slipped closed as her body limply fell into Steve's prepared embrace, cradling her in his arm as he checked her pulse. It was beginning to ease, as well as the energy in the room.

The papers settled and the objects finally lay still until the lab was completely silent. The orange light on the collar disappeared.


	10. Chapter 10 - Rain

**Hey Folks!**

**Long time no update, I know I know. I'm a very naughty writer!**  
**It's been hectic here at HQ. I got a commission through to make an epic costume that I just couldn't refuse, so I've been running on all pistons since the middle of August and I'm nowhere near finished yet.**  
**I will try my best to get new chapters to you every month or so, but please be patient. I won't abandon you, promise.**

**Follows and Favs are still rising! WOO! The tally now is 180 followers and 107 favourites! HOLY SMOKES! :D Just keeps going up and up!**  
**Please do continue to follow, fave and share around! Keep the love for Steve and Cora going!**

**Here we go...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 10 - Rain.**

"Hey back off, Spangles, how the hell could I have known you hadn't told her?!"

"You could have asked instead of running your mouth off as usual!"

"And you should have told her from the start! Who the hell are you to keep that from her?!"

Cora's head was throbbing, her body feeling light and exhausted as she drifted back to consciousness to overhear the argument erupting around her. The yelling hurt her temples with a deep pounding ache.

"Stop." She ordered weakly, forcing her eyes open to find herself cradled against Steve's warm uniformed chest.

The bickering ended immediately with her surprise awakening, their attentions instead placed on her well-being as she tried to sit up on her own.

"Easy now." Stark said with care, "You might have a whoozy head."

Cora ignored his advice and pushed herself slowly to her feet, Steve gently trying to help her though she seemed reluctant to accept his assistance. As she finally stood on her own, her head tried to spin for a moment, her palm pressing onto her aching temple where the metal disc was still connected.

"Maybe you should sit back down..." Steve suggested as he moved to place a comforting hand on her shoulder and escort her to a chair. However, Cora immediately stepped out of his reach.

Steve stood frozen at her silent rebuke to his help, but more so by the look that covered her face as she stared at him, and him alone. He saw anger, despair, sadness and hopelessness in the depths of her gaze, but the one overwhelming emotion in her eyes, the one that was directed at him and the secrets he had kept... It was the one he thought he would never have to receive from her: Betrayal.

"Cora, I..." He tried to begin, but at that moment his mouth was raw and dry, his mind devoid of suitable words as they had all been driven out by her heart-breaking stare, by the silent and tearful face that had nothing more to say to him.

Without so much as another word, Cora began to step away from him, her accusing gaze not leaving his until she reached the door ,where she turned and marched away with purpose.

"Cora wait!" Steve called, rushing for the door and the chance to explain, to make it right.

"Steve stop!" Called Bruce from the other side of the dishevelled lab, making the Captain halt immediately to look with confusion and panic, "I wouldn't do that right now."

"I have to explain, Bruce, I can't just do nothing!" He exclaimed, gripping the door frame as he was about to run after her again.

"Wrong." Stark added calmly, his hands in his pockets to emphasize his air of serious disappointment, "I think you've done enough already."

Steve strode angrily towards the billionaire with the intention of laying him flat out, to finally release the annoyance and anger that he felt towards him but always contained due to propriety. However, Bruce immediately got in the middle of them.

"Enough!" Bruce ordered, his hand pushing against the captain's chest to physically keep him at bay and save Stark's suddenly endangered health, "This won't change anything, and... and he's right!"

"What?" Steve responded with shock.

"She needs space, Steve." Bruce explained calmly, "Time to digest what's just been revealed. And until she does, she won't understand _why_ you did what you thought you had to. She's just had what little she knew about her life snatched away from her, including any sense that she can trust you. I think she deserves a bit of time alone."

Steve didn't have anything to say to the good doctor's wisdom. He knew in his gut that he was right, but that didn't change his need to release his anger on Stark for telling her so callously. He stared at the billionaire who stood seemingly sympathetically and unmoving on the other side of Bruce as he still insisted on being the peacemaker between them. And as he stared, his wrath only increased further as he began to realise that Stark was right too. He should have told her sooner, and his guilt because of it was trying to eat him alive. He could only blame himself for Cora's pain right now.

"She likes you, Cap." Tony suddenly said with calm reassurance, "Just let her breathe, then show her that she can still trust you above all others. She'll come around."

Steve turned quickly before he could comment or push Bruce aside to swing a right hook, instead marching for the door with clenched fists and heading down the corridor in the opposite direction to Cora. He caught a bitter sweet waft of her scent in the air as he left, making his stomach tense with his own disappointment.

After all his soul searching and batting back and forth the difficult choices of her welfare, he never got a chance to ease her into the truth as he had planned. God only knew what damage he had caused by not telling her from the beginning. Now he could only wait and silently pray that she could forgive his mistake.

* * *

Steve stood before the door of the observation room that adjoined Cora's, wondering if he really should go in and watch over her through the two-way mirror.

After the incident a few hours ago, Steve had retired to the only place in the building that he knew he wouldn't be disturbed and could calm his vengeful fire: The roof. He had stood in the high sun and cool wind, thinking over what had happened and what he should have done differently, how he could fix it, what to say, what to do... how to show her that she meant the world to him. Yet always his thoughts drifted to the memory of her betrayed face, and it was unbearable.

Eventually he couldn't take it anymore, knowing that she considered him a liar and a traitor, so he returned to the depths of the building and to her room. He had knocked politely, the sentries that once manned her door now gone as a show of trust, but there was no answer. He had tried to use his security access but found his entry barred, locked from the inside.

Now he stood before the entrance of the adjoining observation room, battling with his conscience, his respect for her privacy, Bruce's advice and his need to see her. Though he understood her need for time and space to breathe, being apart from her on such bad terms after decades of believing her lost to him... It was torment.

Slowly, Steve swiped his security clearance and placed his hand on the scanner. When the protocol recognized him, the door clicked open and he tentatively walked into the black room, closing the door behind him, a little fearful of what he might witness.

The only source of light in the room was through the two-way mirror on his left, floor to ceiling and wall to wall, though the room was still steeped in darkness as he moved to the middle of the space. His eyes timidly searched for Cora through the mirror.

For a brief moment he panicked, seeing her nowhere. However, he calmed as he spotted the lighter objects were vibrating in response to her emotions, emanating from somewhere in the room. The drip stand jittered on the floor next to the bed, and a glass of water had obviously slipped from the bedside table to shatter on the floor, the shards skittering across the hard surface in response to her gift.

A sudden movement in the corner of his eye grabbed his attention, pulling his sight to the bottom left of the mirror and the shadowy corner of the room beneath the security camera up above. Steve's heart wrenched and twisted as he saw her sat there, her knees pulled up to her chest and head leaning back against the mirror as she sobbed without restraint, her face wet and flushed as she succumbed to her anguish. She looked so vulnerable, so confused of what to do or what to think to make things better. Right now, he could see that all she felt was pain. She felt alone. Just as he had when he had awoken from the ice.

Steve slowly walked over and knelt crouched beside her through the glass, knowing that she didn't know of his presence but he still needed to comfort her somehow. His head fell against the mirror as his eyes closed in shame, feeling the small vibrations as her weeping racked her body.

He had hoped so dearly that he could save her from this kind of shock, spare her the depression and sorrow, but he only made it worse it seemed. He added betrayal to her grief. How was he going to make this right? How would she ever forgive him?

Steve's hand slowly raised to stroke her hair through the glass before resting there, wanting to impart hope to her, even though his own was slowly dwindling.

* * *

Two days. Two torturous days she had remained in her room with no sign of hope or any kind of contact. She hadn't drank or eaten, and barely slept. More often than not, Steve had kept watch over her from the observation room, sometimes standing for hours alone, hoping that she would break her depression and open the door. He could have easily broken in via the mirror, but that wouldn't help her in any way. As the good green doctor had said, she needed time. He just hadn't thought it would be so long.

Steve was now returning from the morning briefing that he had struggled to focus on. Apparently there was a possible location on the head scientist that had experimented on Cora, Dr Erwin Richards, who had been absent from the vessel when they had rescued her. There was a 53% facial recognition in Geneva where he had been spotted. It was a small lead, but one worth checking out. Whoever he was involved with, they were powerful and clever enough to stay very well hidden, which almost always meant trouble. The sooner they were found and stopped, the better.

He would be leading his team soon to obtain the scientist for questioning... But that meant leaving Cora behind. Even though it would only be for a while, and it was unlikely that her condition would change in his absence, he still didn't like it in the slightest. However, he was still a soldier and an agent of SHIELD, and he would not turn away the mission. Especially as it might lead to helping Cora reclaim some part of her life if they could get answers about her time in captivity.

Steve stepped out of the glass elevator on the top floor, turning left for the stairwell to take the last flight up to the roof. His head was a mess of worry, guilt and loneliness, and the clarity of the rooftop was always his salvation when he needed to calm his thoughts and focus on the task at hand, namely the mission he would be leaving on in an hour. Though he had to admit, he couldn't help but remember the time he went up there with Cora, and it made his heart ache.

As his boots clanked on the last few metal stairs, his stride halted immediately as he realised the hatch was wide open. Unhitching his shield from his back, he quietly mounted it on his left forearm before he cautiously climbed the ladder, ready to take action should he find intruders. The overcast light of clouds hit his face as he finally leapt onto the roof, silent and nimble.

He froze, aghast with what he saw: Long waving tresses of auburn blowing in the wind, her loose blue shirt rippling against her body as she sat on the low wall, her legs dangling out over the edge of the tower.

Slowly, he stood up and mounted his shield securely onto his back again. She made no indication that she was aware of his presence, and in all honesty the fact that she was sitting on the wall was making him nervous. Especially since the last time he had seen her she was still deep in stoic sorrow. He didn't know if he should walk over or announce himself first. He didn't want to startle her.

Then, as to answer his indecision, her head tilted slightly as if she had heard his thundering pulse, and when she turned her face towards him his heart stuttered at the tentative smile that greeted him. It was more than he could have hoped for, and when she turned back to the view, he took it as a sign that he could go to her. His boots crunched on the gravel as he got closer, each one seeming to echo or crash through the tense silence of the dreary day.

Slowing to a stop, he chose to keep a few paces away to be respectful, "Hello again."

He saw her cheek lift ever so slightly at his greeting that seemed to be becoming a trade mark welcome, but she didn't look at him.

"I thought you would turn up eventually." She spoke quietly, as if her voice was a little raw or unfamiliar after the last few days.

Steve wanted to say so much to her, yet he feared making things worse. So instead he chose to allow her to lead the conversation wherever she felt comfortable for it to go. He wasn't going to hide anything from her anymore.

"Haven't kept you waiting long I hope." He replied gently as he followed her casual lead, carefully moving to perch on the wall but keeping some space between them with his back to the landscape.

"I wanted to see the sun rise." She smiled gently, clearly remembering it in her head from that morning.

It was 8:20am now.

"So you _have_ been waiting long."

"Was worth it though." She said softly, thoughtfully, "It's turned cloudy now, probably going to rain, but it was crystal clear a few hours ago. The sky lit up in bright warm colours. It was beautiful."

"Sorry I missed it." Steve added, his hope stroking it's way back into his heart with her contentment and willingness to talk to him again.

"I don't remember if I've ever watched the dawn before today." She explained, her brow gently creasing with thought, "It's remarkable to think how many people take so much for granted, or they don't truly see the world around them... Until you lose it all. And it's worse if you can't even mourn the loss with certainty because you have no memory of any of it. It's like an empty thought that still has an irritating itch to say it was once full and golden, but it can't tell you how or why. It's frustrating. So... I thought I had best start over instead of driving myself insane. Make new memories."

He smiled, pleased at her new positive outlook on her new beginning in a strange world, but whether her positivity stretched to forgiveness was uncertain. He wasn't quite ready to ask it though.

"How did you get up here anyway?" He asked casually.

Her smile was a little mischievous, "I may have swiped the I.D of a passing staff member. Sorry. I will return it, of course."

Steve chuckled, shaking his head with amusement, "I'm surprised the security isn't on alert from it's loss by now."

"Perhaps he hasn't noticed yet."

They were silent for a time, both looking at the gloomy landscape and the gathering darkness that was staining the clouds. He could feel the temperature beginning to drop, a sure sign of a downpour on the way, but he wouldn't have cared if a twister was threatening. He was alone with Cora, and she was talking to him again. Though he sudden;y found himself a little lost for the right words.

"I do understand, you know?!" She suddenly said, looking down at her hands that rested on her knees, "It took me a while to calm down and focus on the logic but..."

"Cora, I..."

"But I _understand_ now." She interrupted, turning to smile gently at him. It was like an embrace on his soul.

"I didn't want to burden you anymore than you already were." He added with a hint of shame, "It wasn't the best way to go about it, I know... I just wanted to protect you."

"And you do." She said sweetly, "Every day since I woke in the hospital you've been there for me. I never felt safer than when you were with me. I _still_ feel safer when you're with me. It's _you_ that keeps me together, Steve."

His heart was pounding, his throat tightening with the threat of joyous tears but he refused to sully the moment with over-active emotions. She didn't need him blubbering his relief at her like a child whilst she was bravely communicating her own feelings over what happened.

"I now know the pain that you were trying to save me from. You wanted to spare me what happened to you, and at first I didn't believe you when you said so in the lab, but after feeling that..." She paused to take a deep breath as if pushing away the memory, "You were right. As much as I yearned for my life back and to know the details of what happened... I wasn't ready to know it yet. But more importantly, over the last two days I realised that..." Her throat was tight as her eyes threatened to rupture with tears, looking up at Steve as she tried to keep her emotions down, "I need you. I can't... I can't do this alone."

Steve moved closer to sit on the wall beside her and gently took her hand, giving it a tender squeeze as her fingers wrapped around his palm. It was a bold move for him, but he needed to comfort her beyond his own shyness.

"I wouldn't let you." He smiled gently, his pulse rising at their touch.

Her answering smile was soft and wonderful as tears escaped her long lashes, "I know."

"I'm just sorry you had to find out that way. I was planning to ease you into it gently." Said Steve, watching as she delicately ran her fingers beneath her eyes to wipe away the tears.

"It wasn't your fault." She replied with a small smile, her voice tame again as she regained her composure "I have the distinct feeling that Mr Stark is the outspoken type whether you want him to be or not."

"You could put it that way."

"I'm sorry for the way I acted." She said softly, as if she was disappointed with herself, "I shouldn't have taken it out on you when you were only acting in my best interests."

"Cora, you don't have to..."

She gently interrupted him as the hand he held drifted slowly so that her fingers entwined with his, her smile warm and soft as she looked at him. His skin tingled with her touch, and he lost all track of his thoughts as he glanced down at their locked hands.

"Thank you." She said genuinely, making him look up to meet her glistening eyes that were now filled with sincerity and affection, "I do appreciate what you tried to do. It couldn't have been easy for you, I'm sure."

"But the damage is done." He said guiltily, "What can I do to help you trust me again?"

She squeezed his hand lightly, "Tell me the truth? Everything that happened. Even if it hurts me."

Steve took a deep breath as he looked back down, his eyes finding their joined hands but his thoughts scrambled in many directions. He knew she was specifically going to ask about them being together, about how close they were... And he wasn't entirely sure of how to explain it. How do you tell a woman with amnesia that they used to be in love? Also, how do you explain that he used to be just another scrawny kid from Brooklyn that got beat up more times than he could remember?

Her other hand slid onto the top of their entwined hands, tenderly enclosing in her warm grasp to pull him from his troubled reverie to look back to her smile, her glow immediately easing his worries.

"Perhaps tomorrow though." She said mercifully, looking back to the cloudy view, "But for now, rain is coming."

Steve looked to the sky and sure enough the clouds had darkened further, the scent in the air changing. Any moment now there would be the downpour, and the anticipation on her face told him that she had no intention of taking shelter inside.

The first few drops began to fall, her head leaning back and her eyes closing to face the heavens with appreciation, all the while still holding his hand. The rain started to fall heavier, drop by drop hitting her porcelain face as she smiled at the sensation, dark spots staining her light shirt and jeans.

She then looked to him as the rain began to thrash down, her features gleaming with a bright smile as her hair began to soak and drips of water fell from the tip of her nose, but still she made no sign of wanting to leave. Steve was similarly drenched, though his combat uniform offered better waterproofing. Still he felt his head drenched and running with small rivulets in the downpour. And he grinned with exhilaration.

Her hands suddenly moved from his to brush her fingers through her sopping locks that were now a deep rust in colour, and her shirt was plastering to every curve of her body, which Steve felt a little disrespectful for noticing with such interest. Especially when he spied a small drop run down her throat towards her cleavage.

"Wanna' head in?" He asked to distract himself, raising his voice slightly over the rain.

She smiled, shaking her head and releasing a few drops that had trapped in her eyelashes, "No. But maybe I should have brought an umbrella."

Steve smirked at her playfulness, unhitching his shield from his back to mount it on his arm and raise it over her head as a make-shift shelter. She looked up at her vibranium umbrella and giggled.

"Got ya' covered, ma'am!" He said, shaking his head slightly to get rid of some of the gathered rain on his head, but his bright smile was still locked in place.

"Room enough for two, soldier!" She called, carefully grabbing his shield harness at his shoulder and pulling him underneath as well. She gasped as his face suddenly came closer to hers than she expected.

Slowly, with a boost of courage, Steve reached up and wiped away a droplet from her cheek. He saw the flush of pink on her cheeks as she looked away bashfully, making him smile widely, happy in the knowledge that he could still make her blush just as much as she could make him. They were so close now that even though they were soaking wet, he could still feel her warmth radiating.

"Yes, ma'am." He responded with contented familiarity, and revelled in the small hint of recognition that twitched her brow for a moment. She gently shook her head as if to dispel the fierce curiosity that wanted her to ask him about that one particular response.

Cora laughed softly and caught a drop of rain hanging from the tip of his nose. Smiling at each other once more, they both looked out to the stormy horizon, her legs swinging innocently in the air. Steve tried not to think of having to leave on the mission, but it scratched at the back of his mind where his duty usually rested. Instead he took comfort in the fact that he would be able to return to her when the mission was over, and knew that she would welcome him back with genuine happiness. He was looking forward to the coming days.


	11. Chapter 11 - Safety

**Hey Folks!**  
**Long time, no write! I know I know, and I feel awful for it!**  
**Lots been going on around here and it kinda' sucked out the inspiration for a while.**  
**Fortunately, it's beginning to reboot.**

**So, where did we leave Cora and Steve? **  
**Well... On the roof of SHIELD HQ. In the rain. **  
**... Oops.**

**Last we heard, they were becoming quite close until Tony Stark accidentally let the cat out of the bag as to the fact that she's been frozen for 70 years or so. Naughty, Iron Man! As you can imagine, it didn't go down well. Cora was distraught and angry, and Steve was riddled with guilt for lying, and rage at Tony for obvious reasons.**  
**Luckily, after a few days to cool off, Cora came around to see things logically. She forgave Cap for keeping it from her, and they reconciled their friendship... And had a very sweet moment under the vibranium umbrella.**  
**Steve then had to go on a mission to investigate a possible sighting of Dr Erwin Richards, the head scientist who had been torturing Cora through experimentation in an attempt to copy her telekinetic powers.**

**This is where we shall pick up the story!**

**Sorry again for the long delay, and I truly appreciate and love you all for sticking with me, Cora and Steve.**  
**Don't forget to favourite, follow and/or review!**

**Here we go...**

* * *

**CHAPTER 11 - Safety.**

Steve stood in the middle of a bright hi-tech lab below ground, his hands on his uniformed hips as the anger and disappointment flowed through him, his team moving through the space with precision to check every corner and crevice for personnel or anything that could be salvaged. All around him in the extensive laboratory lay broken equipment that sparked with the aggressive yet thorough destruction, computers no better than paper weights as small wisps of smoke rose from the numerous hard drives, and the monitors declared all data to be erased. Everything that may have helped Cora understand her gift and the life she had lost was gone.

"They must have caught word we were coming." Said Natasha, walking to stand beside him, "No idea how though."

"They may have spotted us on our fly in somehow." Steve said, easing his calm back into place as he strolled over to the nearest computer workstation and dipped his finger in a spilled puddle of coffee on the desk. It was warm. "They didn't get much of a warning. They left in a hurry."

Walking around the desk, he stepped over to a familiar metal dais in the centre of the lab, exactly the same as when he had found Cora on the ship. Except this one was missing the recovery pod and the various tubes lay discarded at the top of the grated platform.

Steve's hearing twitched as he picked up a quiet methodical sound, a monotonous beeping that he couldn't pinpoint as he glanced around the dais with the hope that something was overlooked in their rush to escape. Something with helpful data.

"Still..." Natasha began, easing closer as her brow creased with thought, "Someone careful enough to avoid us for so long, you'd think they would do a better job of covering their tracks than just destroying hard drives."

Steve stopped looking, standing still as his thoughts began to turn more sinister in regard to the beeping's origin.

"They wouldn't have risked leaving any clues for us to find." She added thoughtfully.

"I don't think they did." He replied flatly as his gaze lifted to the ceiling and the source of the intermittent sound. There, attached to the high steel girders, were several blinking devices. And none of them looked friendly.

"Everybody out!" Steve commanded loudly, grabbing everyone's attention instantly, "Evac, now!"

The teams immediately pulled back, sprinting with calm efficiency for the stairwells, passing the Captain and Natasha who dutifully stayed to make sure the very last man was out of there before following them, charging up the many flights of stairs to not risk the elevator during detonation.

Bursting out onto the ground floor of the dilapidated factory building which disguised the labs below, Steve could feel the first tremors through his boots as the bombs detonated many floors below them, the vibrations intensifying to shake the concrete ground and brick walls around them as they dodged the various debris of the abandoned factory.

"Get clear!" He shouted to the team as they exited the building, Natasha pushing herself to keep up with Steve's stride, even though he would never leave her trailing behind him. Especially as the explosions finally reached their crescendo and the floor began to fall away to take sections of wall with it.

A burst of debris and flame ruptured just behind them, forcing them to shield their heads as they ran, finally making the exit doors just as the rest of the building tumbled around them, biting at their heels as they fled at high speed into the weathered courtyard outside. However, the ground continued to give way in their wake, the labs spreading further underground than the factory foundations.

Steve began to think they wouldn't make the distance in time when one of the high-speed SHIELD aircraft shot into view to hover a short way in front of them, a rope tossed out of the back to hang low enough for them to grab. The ground crumbled only a few feet behind their furious sprints, spitting up clouds of dust as Steve reached out for Natasha's waist at the same time she circled her arm around his neck in perfect unison. At the last moment, they propelled themselves off a concrete divider with a powerful yell of determination, launching towards the aircraft's lifeline with the help of the Captain's strength. He grabbed the rope with his free arm, holding onto Natasha securely as they dangled from the plane and it immediately pulled up from the chaos. They watched as the entire factory yard descended into a hazy sink-hole, taking whatever information they may have found with it.

* * *

Steve sat inside the aircraft as it sped back to SHIELD HQ in Washington DC. It would be several hours until they arrived, and he was anxious to get back to Cora. It was only himself and Natasha in the back of the dark plane, the rest of the team, except the pilots, dispersing between the other crafts to allow them privacy after the disappointing end to the mission.

They hadn't been able to recover anything, and the site was far too unstable to even attempt a salvage operation. They had known what they were doing when they took up residence there, and when they blew it up.

"They knew we were coming." Steve said, bent forward on his knees in thought as Natasha sat opposite him, wiping the grime from her face with a towel, "They purposely delayed the self destruct to catch us in the explosion and take us out."

"If they did have warning, that means we may have a security leak within SHIELD." Said Natasha calmly, taking the possibility in her stride as she wiped the back of her neck.

"A mole." The Captain confirmed, his interlinked hands tightening as his worry increased, making his leather gloves creak slightly with the pressure. He glanced at the pilots at the front of the plane and was satisfied that they wouldn't be able to hear their quiet conversation over the noise of the vessel. "That puts Cora at further risk."

"Agreed." She replied as she cleaned her hands, "Until we find the source, she'll need extra protection. Fury won't like it, but I'm going to suggest removing her from HQ in case the mole is planning on weakening SHIELD via Cora's skills. We can move her to another secure location, somewhere off the grid..."

"No."

His calm response surprised Natasha, making her blink as she mentally double checked she had heard him correctly. She would have thought him supportive of removing her from potential harm.

"If they were planning on unleashing her on SHIELD then they would have acted by now, whilst she was more unstable." Steve explained calmly, though under his professional exterior he was anything but calm, "They've got something else up their sleeve, more likely trying to find a way to extract her. If we move her, the mole will quickly find out where she is, I have no doubt."

"We could keep her on the move? The Heli-Carrier?" She suggested.

"I won't risk it. They're waiting for their chance to pounce whilst she's still vulnerable, but they can't get to her at HQ. If they could then she'd be gone by now, they've had plenty of opportunity. No... It must just one mole, feeding information. Besides, Cora isn't fond of heights and I don't want to put her under stress on a confined flying vessel. Not till she's got a handle on her power."

"Then what do you suggest, Cap?"

"For now, as far as everyone else is concerned, we keep to the original plan." He sighed, his stomach grinding with his words, "We don't give the mole any reason to panic and do something drastic whilst we smoke him out. So... We act normal, we keep this between us and Fury."

"And Cora?"

Steve's heart twisted as he considered the secrets he may have to keep from her again. He had thought he was done with lying to her after nearly losing her a few days ago. Fate it would seem was a cruel mistress.

"I don't know yet." He answered quietly, "She deserves to know, but she also deserves to feel safe at SHIELD."

"You'll think of something, Cap." Natasha offered in support, "In the meantime, we have a plan?"

He nodded, grateful for her understanding, "We train her. Improve her skills to protect herself, help her learn control... We need time, Natasha. _She_ needs time. After seeing that test footage of her... Once she finds the hold on her gift, I doubt there's anything they could do to get her back against her will. We just have to get her there."

The Widow nodded once, confirming her dedication. Natasha was many things due to her assassin training: calm, calculating... Some would even call her harsh and cold-hearted. But there were times when Steve could see past it all and catch a glimpse of the righteous caring soul that believed so deeply in saving lives. According to Clint, her personality had blossomed since trading in the KGB. Steve was just thankful that she had found her humanity again, and was helping him to protect the one person on earth that he cherished above all.

"The moment we get back to SHIELD we'll discuss this with Fury." Steve added, "Then the second the meeting ends, I won't be parted from Cora for any reason."

* * *

"And you're sure?" Asked Fury, his fingers steepled with thought as he leant forward on his desk. His office had been secured for their private meeting, the windows darkened against the day and the room soundproofed to block any eavesdroppers. "You couldn't have been spotted on your way in?"

"No chance." Steve replied, standing in front of the desk with Natasha at his side. They had both marched to the Director the moment the aircraft had arrived back at HQ. "The only way they knew we were coming was if someone told them from the start. They were one step ahead of us, and until we can flush out the mole within SHIELD, no-one is safe here. Especially Cora."

"And where do you think she'll be safe, if one of the most secure buildings on the planet isn't it?" Nick queried, though he could already take a guess at the answer.

"With me." He replied calmly and convincingly, "At all times until this is resolved. I'll help train her, educate her... The mole mustn't know that we're onto him. When she's confident enough with her gift then we can remove the collar and the only hold they have on her to ensure their own safety. If they want her, then it won't be easy for them."

"I've no doubt." Fury responded, getting up out of his chair to casually walk over and stand in front of Steve, "But is that the soldier speaking?... Or the lover?"

"That has nothing..."

"Of course it does, Steve." Natasha interrupted calmly, "Personal emotions can jeopardise missions if they're not strictly controlled. You know that."

"Which is why you need to keep an eye on the bigger picture." Fury added, "There's more than just her life at stake if there's a mole in here."

"Then what are you suggesting?" Asked Steve, the hint of agitation tainting his words.

"Nothing." He answered with a friendly shrug before he returned to his chair, "I like your plan. I just wanted to give you a wise reminder to not let your feelings cloud your judgement when it needs to be crystal clear. Especially when it comes to tough choices."

* * *

"Are you sure you know what you're doing, Mr Stark?"

Steve's muscles tensed, not only with anticipation because he heard Cora's angelic voice, but because she had confirmed that Tony Stark was with her. After the day he'd had, he had hoped to not have to deal with Stark's poor manners. He hadn't exactly forgiven the billionaire for dropping the bomb on Cora. Nor had he forgotten his flirting. Steve knew very well that he was with Pepper Potts now, and that the charm was merely platonic with remnants of his playboy days and the goal to annoy the Captain as much as humanly possible, but it still grated on his territorial nerves. It almost felt like Stark was seriously flirting with his long lost wife.

Steve waited outside by the side of the door, out of sight, listening in on the happenings of the lab as he patiently calmed and galvanised his emotions to deal with the Iron Man's attitude. Strangely, he thought he would have gotten used to it by now, having had experience with Stark's father back in the day. But now that he was bringing Cora into their little love/hate ball game, it seemed far more personal.

"If I had a dollar for every time I heard that..." Tony mumbled playfully, before brightening up with a reassuring smile, "Just relax, it's fine. It'll only take a few seconds. You ready yet, Bruce?"

"It's booting up..." Banner mumbled as he tapped at a computer, his steel rimmed glasses hanging from the corner of his mouth as he concentrated, "And... It's ready."

"Alright, now we're cooking." Stark replied enthusiastically as he pulled on a pair of black gloves and took position above Cora's head as she lay on the examination table.

"Are you sure this won't set it off?" She asked.

"Absolutely." He replied with a confident tone as he gently cradled the top of her head, "The devices are triggered by the brain waves that control your power. No external influences could do that except for the remote that runs it. And I'm pretty sure there was a remote for controlled usage, which means there's an off switch in there somewhere. We just gotta' find it."

Cora nodded nervously, not sure if she believed him or not.

"Try not to move." He added softly.

"Let's get this over with quickly." She breathed, her nerves beginning to tremble as she stared up at the complex scanning ring mounted over her face.

"Again, if I had a dollar..." He mumbled, smiling with satisfaction when she grinned at his joke. "It'll be fine, Cora. Just breathe. Jarvis, you ready, buddy?"

"Ready when you are, Sir." Replied the polite A.I.

"Initialise scan sequence..." Tony began, quickly double checking the positioning of the rotational cradle around her head, "... Now."

Taking a deep breath as a high-pitched whirring hum began to echo from the lab, Steve quietly walked in to find Cora lying on her back on an examination table. Tony was standing by her head, his gloved hands holding her still against any flinching as one of Stark's technologically advanced toys whizzed around on a circular metal track, scanning her head and neck with the collar and disc still in place as it moved down in sections. A 3D hologram of Cora's neural paths and the device's inner workings steadily assembled in slices onto a large blue-print pad in front of Bruce as he stood before the lab desk, watching the various components and physiology appear from thin air in high detail.

"Scan complete, Sir." Jarvis informed politely as the cradle stopped.

"Ah, the Wonder Boy returneth." Tony chirped, spotting Cap as he stood in the doorway and moved to disengage the equipment, "Just in time actually. Fun's about to start."

"Your idea of fun is sometimes questionable." He replied calmly but steely, walking towards Cora as the billionaire folded back the scanning cradle.

"Thank you, Mr Stark." Cora smiled with a breath of relief as she was now able to sit up.

"Told you he wouldn't be happy to see me." Stark grumbled, feigning disappointment before chirping up as he removed his gloves, "And are you ever gonna' call me Tony, or do we have to continue this polite flirtation? I am taken, you know. As heartbreaking as that must be for you..."

She giggled at his eccentric behaviour, shaking her head with amusement. She was getting to like his personality in a way, "I'm sure I can cope somehow, Mr Stark. Now... The scan?"

"Ah yes." He responded enthusiastically as he walked over to join Bruce by the holographic diagram of her head, "You know, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!"

Cora smiled, "I'll be sure to let Jack know if I ever meet him."

"Ooh, I love it when she's witty and English." He teased as he picked up his computer pad and started to look through the scan analysis with Dr Banner.

Steve just breathed through their playfulness, trying his best to not feel jealous at all. It wasn't entirely working. Fortunately, the moment she turned back around to look at him with that heavenly smile, his boyish concerns melted away.

"How did it go?" She asked, "You've been gone a long time, I was worried."

Steve couldn't help but smirk as she looked at him with such affectionate relief, swinging her legs over the side of the table to face him properly. He noticed that she was wearing a different outfit now, and it only then occurred to him that it had actually been yesterday morning when he saw her last.

"Sorry." He replied with a coy smirk, "Long flight."

Her brow creased as she suddenly noticed his uniform, "Is that... Is that debris?"

Steve mentally cussed, realising that he should have changed first to get rid of the evidence, "Not exactly. I... had to do a bit of crawling around in dusty places."

The lie felt sour on his tongue, but he didn't want to worry her.

"Yeah... After the building collapsed on you." Tony commented as he tapped the computer pad in his hand, then looked up with a whistle, "They sure got you good by the looks of it."

"What does he mean?" She demanded, her face clearly unimpressed by the implications.

"I have no idea." Steve fibbed again, shooting a warning look at the playboy.

"Oh please, Cap, I built weapons for a living..." Tony said, carrying on in his work, "I know the aftermath of a bomb when I see it."

"Bomb?" She exclaimed, turning to look at Stark with wide eyes, and then back at Steve, "What bomb? Are you okay? What happened?"

Steve put up his hands in an attempt to calm her and ease his urge to strangle the billionaire on the other side of the room, "It's nothing to worry about, Cora. No-one got hurt, it was just a way of them destroying evidence. It just made a very large dust cloud, that's all."

He could see Tony was about to comment, but fortunately Bruce grabbed his arm and silently advised him to keep it to himself.

"Are you sure?" She asked, her brow creased with concern, "You're not hurt?"

"No, ma'am. I'm not hurt." He smirked charmingly, trying his best to be reassuring and soothing, "How about you? Last thing I expected to see was you strapped in for a scan."

"Oh, yes I'm fine." She smiled, "We're just trying to figure out how the collar works. Normal x-ray couldn't penetrate it so we had to go a little more advanced."

"A little?" Tony commented with a playful hint of offence.

Cora just shook her head and smiled at his behaviour, "You don't need your ego stroking any more, Mr Stark."

"I agree." Bruce said quietly, giving her a discreet wink of camaraderie.

"What, is this Gang-Up-On-Tony day?" He asked, looking between them which just made them smile.

"Found anything in the scan?" Steve interrupted, moving the conversation back to more important matters, though he was quietly pleased to see Cora and Bruce forming a bond. It would make his teachings on control that much easier for her.

"We need to look through the analysis properly." Bruce explained, "The collar is very... complex."

"But there is a chance to remove it...?"

"Absolutely." Tony chirped, having produced a bag of blueberries from somewhere beneath the desk and started to munch on them, "Just need to make sure it doesn't fry her in the process."

"I'd appreciate that." Cora smirked.

"In the meantime, you two might as well busy yourselves. We might be a while." Said Bruce thoughtfully as he rubbed a hand through his curly hair.

"I agree. You two should definitely get busy." Said Tony, popping a blueberry in his mouth and managing not to grin at his double entendre.

Cora, however, immediately flushed pink with embarrassed shock, "Tony!"

"Ah-ha! She finally calls me by name. I win." He grinned with victory.

Steve wasn't quite sure how to react. He was blushing, embarrassed, nervous... Yet at the same time he was both amused and angry at Stark for putting them in that situation, and also happy that Cora had found it bashfully funny rather than disgusting. It gave him more hope.

"How about we get a coffee...?" Steve suggested to Cora, though he was looking at Tony with tense eyes.

"Alright." She agreed, slipping off the table and heading for the door.

"We'll beep you if we find anything." Bruce said to Steve, accepting the appreciative nod from the Captain.

"Have fun, you crazy kids!" Tony called after them as they turned out of the lab and into the corridor.

* * *

"You seem to be getting on well with Tony and Bruce." Steve pointed out as he sipped at his hot coffee.

They were on the roof of SHIELD HQ again. It was quiet, peaceful and they were alone, perched together on the wall, but thankfully with their feet on the gravel roof this time. After they had left the lab, they had made their way down to the cafeteria where they sat together and chatted about the mission. However, Steve immediately felt rotten about keeping the details from her. Somehow, she seemed to have sensed his discomfort and suggested that they head up to their sanctuary on the roof, though he was uncertain whether she knew the reason for his mood.

"So far." She smirked, holding her own cardboard cup of tea, "Tony did seem a little abrupt at first, but... After what happened in the lab, Tony sought me out to apologise and talk things over."

"He did?" He exclaimed with surprise. He couldn't remember ever hearing Stark say sorry.

Cora sipped her tea, "Mmmhmm. Without any hint of a joke either. Bruce was just as aghast as you when we returned to the lab."

"I can imagine."

"May I ask you something?" She queried politely as the gentle wind tussled her long hair.

"Uh... sure."

"Why do you let Mr Stark rile you up so much?" Cora asked, taking another sip of her tea.

"What makes you think he does?" Steve countered with a smirk. Her response was a sarcastic raise of her eyebrow which made him chuckle. "Tony is... different from me, so it grates on my nerves from time to time. He's brash and showy, has little understanding of being a team. He's also sarcastic, rude..."

"And thoughtful, generous and compassionate." She interrupted gently, making him pause with curiosity as she explained, "When we talked, I got a sense of his character a little. Before a came here, he didn't know me... Only that I was dangerous. Very dangerous. Yet, he still came without a second thought. Why do you think he did that?"

Cap didn't have an answer.

"Clearly it's more obvious to me." She smiled, "He came for you, Steve. He torments you because he cares. You're his team mate. I'm sure at one point in time there was real tension between you, but now... You are almost like a brother he can annoy. The truth is, he came here to help me because it would help you. Give him that credit, at least, and forgive him for his mistakes recently. We're only human after all."

He thought about what she said for a moment, both confused by her explanation and marvelled by her clarity. He and Stark had fought together to save New York from Loki, and in a way it had repaired his loathing for Stark's legacy and replaced it with camaraderie. Of course, he still drove him crazy from time to time.

"So..." She asked gently, "I didn't get a chance to ask you... It was mentioned you were frozen. Lots of ice jokes from Tony."

Steve took a deep breath and sighed, knowing with some relief that he could finally talk to her openly, "Yeah. They never seem to get less irritating."

"What happened?"

"I was on a mission at the time, on board a plane that was filled with bombs and heading for the coast. I had to put it in the ocean to stop it detonating amongst civilians. It was kinda' cold. I got frozen. Super-soldier serum kept me alive."

She smiled proudly at hearing his noble sacrifice, "That was very brave."

"Didn't have much choice. I could die in the explosion with millions of innocent people, or I could die for them. I did what any soldier would do."

"When did they find you again?"

"Last year." He explained, "It was strange waking up to modern New York when last you remember was being at war with Nazi Germany."

"Must have been hard."

"No harder than what you're going through... but I'll do everything I can to help it go smoother."

She hesitated for a moment, her lips pressed together as she silently battled with a decision. Which question to ask first: Stories of her life, or were they ever together? As much as she wanted to know the latter once and for all, her courage wasn't ready for it. Besides, she barely knew him. Well, this time around, at least.

"What was I like... back then?" She asked slightly nervously.

Steve looked at her with kind eyes, "No much has changed actually. You're still the Cora I knew, minus the wartime fashions and mannerisms. You haven't even aged past 22, and you still have your English accent."

"That's nice to know." She smiled. "I will admit it seems a bit awkward when I'm the only one amongst hordes of Americans."

Steve chuckled lightly, his chest bouncing softly as he smiled.

"Did I have my... _talent_ back then?" Cora asked, emphasising her meaning to which skill she was referring.

"If you did, I never knew about it." He answered, his smile fading to seriousness as he once again wondered if he had missed the signs of her gift. "Truly."

"I believe you." She replied with a small smile that didn't reach her eyes, clearly troubled by unanswered questions before she forced herself to perk with a dispelling deep breath, "So, Captain Rogers... Are you going to tell me what really happened on the mission?"

His head snapped around, startled by her casual abruptness to find her smiling reassuringly at him, as if amused that he thought he could hide it from her. It was hopeless. He had promised to never lie to her again. He would keep it.

"I'm sorry, Cora." He said with a sigh, "I..."

"You're following your instinct to protect me." She said, her hand gently reaching out to rest on his as he held his take-out coffee cup, "But I managed to handle finding out I'm over 90 years old and spent 7 decades as a guinea pig for experimentation. I think can manage what you need to say now."

Steve was immediately sensitive to her gentle touch, her delicate fingers were warm and soft against the back of his hand. He really wished he had taken off his leather gloves.

"Right." He said, clearing his throat slightly and secretly mourning as she withdrew her hand to cup her hot drink, "What I said about the lab was true, but they had deliberately delayed the detonation to try and catch us in the blast. Which means they had warning that we were coming."

Cora immediately froze mid-sip of her coffee, her cup lowering slowly as the truth sank in and she met his worried gaze, "Someone here told them? One of them is in SHIELD?"

"Maybe. It's a strong possibility that we can't overlook, at least." He explained, trying his best to assure her, "That's why I'll be staying with you from now on. No more missions until this is resolved. We stick together at all times, just in case."

She nodded nervously as she looked at the gravel, the wind blowing strands of red hair into her face but she didn't seem to notice.

"Cora." He said gently, his hand placed on her shoulder blade for comfort and to get her attention, "I _will_ keep you safe. You have my word. I won't lose you again."

She looked up at him then, her worries draining away to be replaced with questions. Steve swallowed, knowing exactly what she was thinking, and not knowing how to answer.

"How close were we as friends?" She asked softly.

Steve looked down at his boots, pulling away from her back to hold his cardboard cup in both hands, a substitute for stuffing them in his pockets but wishing he could fiddle with the compass he kept there. His heart was beginning to thunder, his blood heating his skin uncomfortably and threatening to flush his cheeks. He remembered those precious days, too few yet perfect until her disappearance. He could still recall everything, down to the smallest detail: Her scent, her blush, her touch... Her kiss. So soft, sincere, beautiful... So many nights he had dreamed of those times when she had made him weak at the knees and showed him stars. So many nights he had terrible nightmares of her being ripped away from him and being powerless to stop it, no matter how hard he had fought.

"If I had known you were alive back then..." He said, his voice low with honesty as he met her eyes, "I would have spent the rest of my life trying to find you if that's what it took. You were... You are... You and Bucky..." He breathed out a sigh to steel his resolve, "I mean to say..."

An incessant beeping interrupted his failing attempt of heart-felt admission, thankfully saving him from floundering. He hadn't exactly had much practice with intimacy, and he was still nervous about how she would react to the truth of their bond.

Steve brought out his sleek phone to find a message from Dr Banner summoning them back to the lab.

"What is it?" She asked with a hint of worry and disappointment for the interruption. What is just her imagination, or was he being romantic?

"It's Bruce." He explained, pocketing the phone once again, "Think they may have something. We... We should head back."

"Rain check?" She smiled softly, refusing to let the conversation be forgotten.

"Promise." He smirked charmingly, gesturing for her to lead the way in his gentlemanly manner.


End file.
